Mercedes has confirmed that Pascal Wehrlein and George Russell will share duties as the team’s Formula 1 reserve driver this season.
Wehrlein competed in Formula 1 for Manor and Sauber across 2016 and 2017, but was unable to secure a seat on the 2018 grid, though has retained his Mercedes connection.
Wehrlein will contest this year’s DTM series – Mercedes’ final year in the category – and act as back-up to regular F1 racers Lewis Hamilton and Valtteri Bottas.
Wehrlein will be joined as reserve by Russell, who will combine his role with a full-time seat in the Formula 2 championship.
Russell, 20, won last year’s GP3 Series with ART Grand Prix and has stayed with the team upon his graduation to the secondary division.
Russell is therefore in line to carry out mid-season running for Mercedes, as per 2017, with Formula 1 regulations dictating that two of the four days must be allocate to young drivers.
