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George Russell is making major moves, on and off track. The Briton was confirmed as Valtteri Bottas' replacement at Mercedes in September 2021. He is expected to partner seven-time world champion Lewis Hamilton next season.
Now, a report by the Times in the UK has emerged claiming that Russell has received a major bump with his new contract at Mercedes.
Russell was reportedly earning $1.18 million with the Williams team in 2021. The 23-year-old is reportedly now set to earn $6.76 million in the first year of his Mercedes contract as per the Times.
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The amount is not inclusive of endorsements or sponsorships. The Briton could also have bonus clauses that have not yet been made public.
George Russell is already an F2 world champion and one of the most promising young racing drivers to emerge from the UK in recent years. He famously filled in for Lewis Hamilton towards the tail end of the 2020 season at Mercedes for the Sakhir Grand Prix. Although the race ended on a disappointing note for Russell, his mettle as a young driver did not go unnoticed.
George Russell shocked the world when he qualified for P2 at a rain-soaked Spa-Francorchamps circuit in Belgium. The Briton went on to claim his maiden podium in the shortest F1 race ever the following day.
The weight of expectations on his shoulder, however, is bound to be much more at Mercedes. Russell will have to adapt to a new car and formula ahead of the new season. There is also the matter of contending against Lewis Hamilton, one of the greatest drivers of the modern era.
Mercedes plans George Russell's steering wheel change for F1 2022 season
Mercedes have reportedly made changes to their steering wheel design to help suit George Russell for the 2022 campaign. F1 technical guru Giorgio Piola confirmed the changes to Motorsport in Italy. The changes are said to have been inspired by the wheel Mercedes made for Lewis Hamilton.
Lewis Hamilton famously mentioned in an interview that the steering wheel he uses at Mercedes was designed by him. Most drivers use two clutch paddles with varying levels of slip. Hamilton's unique clutch design only has one paddle and instead of being on the side of the wheel, he deploys it from the top.
George Russell will need to adapt to this and much more as he starts up with a frontrunner team.
