“I’m capable of winning races” – George Russell believes he has had it easy in Formula 1 so far, and he eyes a move to Mercedes to replace Valtteri Bottas.
George Russell races for bottom-placed Williams, but crucially, is a Mercedes junior driver. He has been impressive for Williams so far, as well as for Mercedes in the one-off opportunity in Sakhir last season. No wonder when he asserts that he is ready to win races, hinting at a move to Mercedes, potentially next season replacing Valtteri Bottas.
“I believe I’m at a level that I’m capable of winning races. But I don’t believe I’m at my maximum potential and I think I’ve got a long way to go. There’s a lot for me to improve and there’s a lot more I can bring to the table.
“I’ve had a relatively easy ride, been under the radar over the past two-and-a-half years. Never in the points, doing my trade.
“If I’m a little bit off the pace it goes a little bit unnoticed. If I have a great result, again, not overly noticed. You come away from most weekends relatively satisfied, even though you knew there could have been half a tenth more maybe in it.
“That [Sakhir] Grand Prix, for example, half a tenth more would have meant I was on pole position and my feeling on Saturday evening would have been completely different to what it was.
“That’s what sport should be about and what Formula 1 it should be about. So to conclude, the biggest thing I learnt was actually things aren’t going to get psychologically easier fighting at the front, if anything it’ll get harder.”
Also read “It takes two to tango” – Mercedes boss Toto Wolff lets it out on the Bottas vs Russell fued
