George Russell emulates Michael Schumacher and makes Lewis Hamilton statement at Sakhir GP

Coulthard told Express Sport before the weekend: “Let’s imagine Mercedes are the fastest car again and they will be happy with one-two which is Valtteri on pole, George second but if George out-qualifies Valtteri then people are going to sit up and take notice in the way Hakkinen, when he was drafted into McLaren in Estoril, in his very first race out-qualified Senna.

“Everyone went woah! Suddenly it was a statement of intent.

“Similarly, Schumacher at Spa in the Jordan qualified seventh, nobody expected it and that was a statement of intent.

“Everything is set up beautifully for George to go from being from someone who is respected as a fast racing driver to someone who has elevated himself to a must-have driver for any of the top teams.”

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