Lewis Hamilton's stand-in George Russell is not in a straight shootout for a 2022 seat with Valtteri Bottas at the Sakhir Grand Prix, according to Mercedes boss Toto Wolff.
With Hamilton missing the penultimate race of the season having contracted COVID-19, Mercedes junior Russell has stepped up from the backmarking Williams team to take the place of the newly-crowned 2020 champion. It is currently unclear whether Hamilton will be able to return for the Abu Dhabi Gand Prix on Dec. 13.
Russell will stay at Williams next season, while Bottas signed a one-year contract extension earlier this season.