George Russell will deputise for Lewis Hamilton at the upcoming Sakhir Grand Prix, Mercedes have announced.
Reigning world champion Hamilton - who sealed a record-equalling seventh drivers’ title in Turkey last month - will miss the race as he self-isolates for 10 days following a positive test for Covid-19 recorded after his victory at the Bahrain Grand Prix on Sunday.
Partner team Williams have now released fellow Briton Russell to race alongside Valtteri Bottas for the Silver Arrows this weekend.
The 22-year-old has been a member of the Mercedes-Benz junior driver programme since 2017.
“It will not be a straightforward task for George to make the transition from the Williams to the W11, but he is race-ready and has detailed understanding of the 2020 tyres and how they perform on this generation of cars,” said Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff.
“George has shown impressive form this year with Williams, playing an instrumental role in their climb up the grid, and I am optimistic that he will deliver a strong performance alongside Valtteri, who will be a demanding reference for him.”
Former GP3 series and Formula 2 champion Russell has appeared in 39 F1 races to date since joining Williams in 2019, though is yet to secure his first career points in the sport.
Acting team principal Simon Roberts confirmed in October that Russell would continue alongside Nicholas Latifi next season amid rumours that Sergio Perez could join Williams following his exit from Racing Point.
British-Korean reserve driver Jack Aitken will make his F1 debut for the team in Sakhir with Russell called up to pilot the Mercedes W11.
