Though then again there are yet again differences here.
What McLaren did was not worth the risk IMO (and I maintain to this day that it was a mistake). There was a extreme high likehood that they could have burned Lewis alongside Alonso or that their fresh investment (Alonso) gets upset. What Merc has now is far more favourable: Russell cant get burned alongside Lewis, if he does in his 3rd or 4th season then it's simply because he isnt good enough, and if Lewis gets upset it also doesnt greatly matter because that investment already paid off greatly and is on its final days anyway. The most Merc can lose is a title if they get 2007-ed, but long term the risk-reward is favourable.
Having said that I still dont think that it means that Merc *has* to promote Russell: I can fully understand a more risk-averse approach to this.
I don't know that Lewis would have been burned after a single season. I think it would have taken 2 seasons for a hypothetical burn to take place and really only towards the second season where you start to worry if Hamilton can be competitive. After all, he was not expected to match Alonso in the first year. Alonso had just come off 2 WDC. Hamilton could do no wrong in the first year. It's the second year where you start to wonder if he hypothetically could not match Alonso.
Just like I don't think Hamilton can burn Russell in year 1. It's year 1, Hamilton is the 7 (8 ) time reigning WDC. Russell is not expected to beat Hamilton in '22. But Russell sure needs to look competitive and make a match of it in '23.
What Merc risk now is never really learning Russell's level if they keep Bottas again. Hamilton will inevitably decline. The measuring stick is right there in it's prime. Use it. There isn't much sense beating around the bush. They need to figure out if Russell or Verstappen will lead this team into the future. If Red Bull make something of their engine, Merc may lose that opportunity to have Verstappen and he may be the one that dethrones them instead of winning the titles for them.
Edited by ARTGP, 29 January 2021 - 21:04.