How Russell landed his dream audition in the fastest car in the world after a 2am call from Mercedes

You wait years for the call of a lifetime, and then you find yourself in the bathroom when it comes.

It was 2am on Tuesday and George Russell had Toto Wolff, the Mercedes team principal, on the line, telling him Lewis Hamilton was ill with Covid-19 and that he was the man they wanted to step into the empty seat for the Sakhir Grand Prix this coming weekend.

And so 22-year-old Russell, from King’s Lynn in Norfolk, finally has the audition he wants in the fastest car in the world.

He recalled: ‘Toto said, “George, are you in the bathroom?” And I said, “Yes sorry, I am”. It was then a bit of a sleepless night but we made it happen the following day. I had 64 phone calls on Tuesday, pinging between so many different people. I am glad we got there in the end.’

On Thursday, here in sun-toasted Bahrain, Russell was acclimatising to his elevated status, having been loaned by Williams to all-conquering Mercedes, where he is part of their young driver programme. Netflix’s long microphones tracked him around the paddock. He was first up in the press conference.

Suddenly from driving a car so lacking in pace that he has not registered a point in his 36 races across two seasons, he is third favourite to triumph in the desert on Sunday, behind only his new team-mate Valtteri Bottas and Max Verstappen of Red Bull.

If Russell pulls off a dream win, all possibilities open up to him: instant fame, future riches and a potential permanent Mercedes drive.

However, it is not an opportunity without risk. For though Bottas is pretty quick, he is no match for Hamilton — who has waltzed to his seventh title with minimal disruption from the Finn — and should Russell be considerably slower than him his reputation would hardly be burnished. But he would have plenty of mitigation, given how suddenly and unpreparedly he has been drafted in.

The car is even a tight squeeze for his lanky 6ft 2in frame, given Hamilton stands 5ft 7in.

As for his size-11 feet, they simply do not fit. He will squeeze his plates into size 10s.

Russell has proven himself a fine talent throughout his journey up the ranks, culminating in GP3 and Formula Two titles in successive years.

And despite having not scored a point, Russell has out-qualified his team-mates ahead of every Formula One race he has participated in.

‘From my side, there is no pressure,’ said Russell. ‘I am being thrown in at the last moment. I have not driven the Mercedes simulator (as test driver) for two years. I have so much to learn, and going up against Valtteri is not easy.

‘I am not going to put any added pressure on myself. There have been no targets placed on me by Mercedes or Toto because you cannot judge someone on one race. If I get the opportunity next week in Abu Dhabi, who knows, but that will be easier for me.’

Russell has impressed Williams not only with his skill, but by taking a leadership role through a difficult period. He had hoped to partner Hamilton next season, only for Mercedes to play safe with the docile Bottas.

Now, through Hamilton’s misfortune, the 2am call has come.