Mercedes junior George Russell enters the 2020 season with Williams F1 for the second year in a row. Deputy team boss Claire Williams has acknowledged the British youngster’s talent has the capability to become a world champion. Interestingly, she confessed that the team will not oppose any potential Mercedes call up to partner Lewis Hamilton.
The 22-year-old is definitely on Mercedes’ radar and could be in line to earn a berth in the top team. Since Esteban Ocon left their programme to join Renault, Russell will have been inadvertently promoted up the ranks. So if the team decide to let go of Valtteri Bottas, the British youngster will be the next in line.
Speaking to PA news agency, the Williams F1 boss said, “George has a very clear ambition. He wants to be a Formula One world champion, and I firmly believe he will.”
“George is such an instrumental part of this team, and I want to give him a car so he doesn’t look elsewhere. He has a long-term contract with us and I would expect to see him in a Williams car until that contract expires.”
George Russell has plenty of talent
In 2018, George Russell clinched the FIA Formula 2 title ahead of fellow graduates, Lando Norris and Alex Albon. Obviously, this was just the tip of the iceberg and he has plenty more to offer. Sadly, he spent much of his rookie season stuck in the back-marking Williams F1 team.
Despite getting the short straw, he made the most of it and blanked teammate Robert Kubica, in qualifying. For 2020, Russell will partner Canadian driver Nicholas Latifi.
Claire Williams continued, “That brings a certain edge to a driver, but George also understands that it doesn’t just take a natural talent to achieve that. He can always learn, always grow and build. He is only 22 and he has a very long career ahead of him in this sport.”
The good news for the Grove-based team is that they appear to be much happier with the 2020 car. Admittedly, the FW43 is a far-cry from the trainwreck that was the FW42
The post Williams F1 Back George Russell to Become World Champion Material appeared first on EssentiallySports.
from EssentiallySports https://www.essentiallysports.com/f1-news-williams-f1-back-george-russell-to-become-world-champion-material/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=f1-news-williams-f1-back-george-russell-to-become-world-champion-material
0 Comments