The Wi❀lliams driver is expected to be confirmed as Lewis Hamilton’s teammate for 2022 in the near-future to form an all-British line-up at Mercede🧔s.

Speculation surrounding the driver market intensified this week in the b🎀uild up to the Dut💞ch Grand Prix, with Kimi Raikkonen’s retirement announcement leaving a spare seat at Alfa Romeo which Valtteri Bottas is set to take.

Russell, who has been linked with graduation to a Mercedes works seat for months following his impressive performances for Williamไs, revealed he knows which team he will be at next year.

“I know 🦋where I’ll be driving next year,” he confirmed during Thursday’s press conferenc📖es at Zandvoort.

🦩Pushed for an answer on when exactly he was✱ informed, Russell drew a lengthy pause before replying: “Verbally before Spa.

“I’m not going to sit here and lie and not tell the truth,” h꧅e added.

“The truth is there’s nothing to announce, but I’m aware of the situation of w✨here I’ll be racing next year, and I was informed just prior to Spa.”

Earlier in the day, seven-time world champion Hamilton issued a 168🃏澳洲幸运5官方开奖结果历史:glowing endo🔜rsement for Russell, saying he would be open to the 23-year-old ๊Briton becoming his new teammate.

Hamilton also downplayed title rival Max Verstappen’s suggestion that Russell’s expected arrival would make his life “very difficult” and potentially disrupt the team harmo🎶ny that currently exists at Mercedes.

Keen not to give any ဣfurther detail away, Russell reiterated the “huge” respect he has for Hamilton and said partnering him at Mercedes would be an “incredible opportunity”.

“I have a huge amount of respect for Lewis and everything he’s achieved and I’𝔉ve seen him working incredibly hard with the engineers when I was a junior driver,” Russell explained.

“He definitely doesn’t just rely on his immense natural talent, he goes above ꦇand beyond to ꦐtry and find the extra bit.

“I guess for any driver, you want the opportunity to go against the best and learn from the 🐭best and I think that would be an incredible opportuniဣty to be there.

“But don’t take anything rom me saying this now as this is the same thing I’ve said for the last 3 years,” he concluded. “Lewis is the goat and it’s be a huge op to go alon✃gside him and📖 learn from him.”