Inspired by Lewis Hamilton, Williams’ George Russell Wouldn’t Have Gone for Ferrari or Red Bull Offers

Sabyasachi Biswas | 15/04/2023
Inspired by Lewis Hamilton; Williams’ George Russell Wouldn’t Have Gone for Ferrari or Red Bull Offers

George Russell always had the intention of racing for Mercedes and racing alongside seven-time world champion Lewis Hamilton. The young British driver recently revealed this when he sat down with the Square Mile’s Ben Winstanley.

Speaking about his aim when he was in the Williams cockpit, Russell stated that in the three years that he spent with the team, he could have taken the opportunity to fight a bit higher up the grid. But that wasn’t his aim.

It was the German team that was the ultimate destination for him, not Ferrari or Red Bull. The former Williams pilot wanted to be in Silver Arrows and fight for championships and take inspiration from his veteran teammate.

To justify his choice, Russell argued that fighting for the top sevens and finishing at the back of the grid would have made no difference for him. This is because his target was to fight for championships, which the Brackley-based team could offer, at the time.

Russell’s Mercedes entry

During the 2021 F1 season, there were rumors that Russell might be picked up to replace Valtteri Bottas in Mercedes. Ultimately, it was announced in September 2021 that he will be joining Hamilton to form an all-British driver line-up in the German team.

The 25-year-old arrived at the team and replaced Bottas to race alongside Hamilton in 2022. The 25-year-old was welcomed with wide arms by team principal Toto Wolff and Lewis Hamilton.

In his first season at the Brackley-based team, the former Williams pilot lived up to his expectations. He delivered consistent points despite not having a championship-winning car.

Russell is happy at Mercedes

As the young Briton finally made it to his predefined destination, he feels happy to be there. Speaking to the Square Mile, he shared, “Ultimately, I’m happy with where I am right now.”

The 25-year-old driver had a fantastic first season with the team from Brackley. He not only defeated his veteran teammate but also managed to pick the only win for the team in Brazil.

Coming into his second year, Russell seems to be the better driver over Hamilton on the team. While the 38-year-old can never be ruled out, everyone has their eyes on George Russell.

Post Edited By: Samriddhi Jaiswal
George Russell Lewis Hamilton Toto Wolff

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Sabyasachi Biswas

Sabyasachi Biswas is an F1 journalist at The SportsRush. With over one and a half decades of love for the sport and five years of experience in the field, he dreams to be a regular at the paddock when the lights go out. A Red Bull fan and F1 fan in general over the years, he enjoyed watching Felipe Massa, Sebastian Vettel, and Max Verstappen dominate the track. Apart from F1, he's also a big-time Madridista and Federer fanatic. He was a sub-junior level footballer, won inter-district quizzes and debate competitions back in school. A travel freak throughout, he tries different cuisines and learns new cultures whenever he's away from the keyboard.

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