“I never put my own agenda or goals above the team’s”– George Russell talks about Valtteri Bottas’ recent impact within Mercedes.
George Russell is in direct contention to get the second Mercedes seat in 2022, pairing up with Lewis Hamilton, who has guaranteed his stay with the Silver Arrows till 2023.
However, recent trends of Valtteri Bottas being projected as the adequate driver to facilitate all the success to Hamilton rumour to harm Russell’s prospects to get the Mercedes seat. But the Briton is unaffected by those reports.
“My ambitions and goals are incredibly clear and I want to become the F1 world champion but I would never put my own agenda or my own goals above the team no matter who my team-mate is,” said Russell.
“That is the same here at Williams now. I would never do anything to hurt my relationship with my team-mate and I recognise that to be able to achieve your own goals, you need the team to be operating on all cylinders.”
“That team spirit and dynamic needs to be at the top of its game just to be able to achieve the team’s objectives. If the team achieves, then as a driver you have got a shot but I never put my own agenda or goals above the team’s.”
Displayed selflessness in Hungary
Meanwhile, Russell backed his words of keeping the team at front was proved by his words to promote Nicholas Latifi in the race at Hungary won several hearts and displayed Mercedes that Russell can be a good teammate too.
“It was sort of an undercut race in Hungary,” explained Russell. “So I knew Nicholas was in third and I knew if he came home with a P3 or a P4, those 15 or 12 points would be absolutely enough to seal P8 in the championship.”
“I’ve always said it. I will put the team’s agenda above mine because ultimately I’m a team player and I want us as a team to score as many points as possible.”
“Nicholas made a fantastic start. He’s making huge progress and it may not seem it on the face of it but he’s really been pushing me and just as a team we deserved to come away with those points.”
“I would happily have stayed out longer to stop the guys ahead from undercutting or boxed straight away to do the undercut and let Nicholas go long if that would have meant at least one of us scored big.”
