George Russell's time in a Mercedes Formula 1 car may have been a brief one, but it was filled with drama but most importantly showcased his talent. He missed out on a first race win through bad luck, but it didn't detract from his performance, leaving many wondering why he is still at Williams. 2022 will be an important year for Russell and Mercedes, and if the right decision isn't made they could lose him to a rival!
Russell's showing on the outer loop, answered several questions. Could he compete at the top of the grid? Yes. Is he a future World Champion? Very possibly. Mercedes can't afford to wait too long on Russell, he's serving Williams well but the Brit has the talent to be a real title contendor.
However, as with most things in Formula 1, there are a lot of variables at play. Here's why Mercedes must promote Russell by 2022 or they could risk losing him to a rival!