LONDON.- The British pilot George Russell and the Italian Andrea Kimi Antonelli signed contractual extensions with mercedes for the next season, announced this Wednesday the team of the Formula 1.
Russell, winner of the Singapore Grand Prix at the beginning of October, will drive a Mercedes F1 for the fifth consecutive season.
The future of the 27-year-old driver at Mercedes was called into question a few months ago when some rumors linked the current quadruple world champion Max Verstappen with the German team.
Antonelli, 19, is living his first season at Mercedes, where he arrived with the complicated mission of replacing Lewis Hamilton.
“Confirming our driver line-up was always just a question of when,” said the team principal, Toto Wolff.
“George and Kimi have proven to be a strong couple and we are excited to continue our journey together.”
“We now focus on the last six races of the year, as we fight for second place in the constructors’ championship,” added Wolff.
Russell has signed two pole positions and two victories this year, and is fourth in the drivers’ World Championship, while Antonelli has already climbed to his first podium (3rd in Canada).
Both drivers will compete this weekend in the United States Grand Prix in Austin (Texas).
Australia offers opportunities in MotoGP
Without the Spanish Marc Márquez, already MotoGP champion who underwent surgery this week and will miss at least the next two races, the Australian Grand Prix appears this weekend as a land of opportunities for riders who have not had good results.
Two weeks ago, in Indonesia, where Márquez suffered the fall that forced him to undergo surgery for shoulder surgery, the spotlight already went to another Spaniard, Fermín Aldeguer, who with his Ducati Gresini became the youngest winner (20 years old) of a MotoGP race, only behind the seven-time champion of the highest category of motorcycling.
His compatriot Pedro Acosta also stood out, second with his KTM and Álex Márquez completed the podium.
The youngest of the Márquez brothers took a big step towards the runner-up position and arrives at Phillip Island with 88 points ahead of Francesco Bagnaia.
