George Russell made four bold predictions in Bahrain earlier this year when he reunited with Alex Albon and Lando Norris to try karting, five years after they all left the sport. Three of those predictions have now come true, with one final event remaining, which would fulfill Russell’s prophecy.
Kicking things off, Russell stated that Red Bull wouldn’t win every race this season, which turned out to be right in Australia where Ferrari’s Carlos Sainz won. Then, he predicted a win for Mercedes and McLaren both, which has also turned out to be true.
Finally, Russell predicted that Williams would be on the podium at least once. He labeled Monza as the most likely destination for the same. So, far, however, things don’t look too promising.
I forgot about this gem
“bold predictions (for this year), I’m going to say, Red Bull won’t win every race, I reckon a Mercedes and a McLaren will win a race this year, and I’m going to say Williams on the podium.”
George might be on to something… now expecting an Alex podium pic.twitter.com/7T0g2dvfaw
— kyu (@tracklims) July 11, 2024
Williams is second-last in the Constructors’ Championship with just four points to its name. Let alone podiums, the team is struggling to get into the points.
For the most part, the Grove-based outfit has been a backmarker. But with James Vowles as Team Principal, lofty ambitions have been set. At the British GP last weekend, both of Williams’ drivers put in commendable shifts with Alex Albon earning two points, thanks to a P9 finish and Logan Sargeant finishing just outside the points in P11.
Russell thinks his former employers will climb the ranks in 2024 and even though a top-three finish looks unrealistic, in F1, things can change quickly.
George Russell’s unlikely Belgian GP podium
The 2021 Belgian GP was infamous. Not just because of the dangerously treacherous conditions but also because of how the officials handled the situation. The race itself got called off after just two laps behind the Safety Car, but Russell and his then-team Williams were not complaining.
George Russell f1 belgian gp pic.twitter.com/WbUdtVxOpv
— dit (@thepoulter) August 30, 2021
Russell put in a brilliant performance in Qualifying the day before to start P2 in the Grand Prix. The stewards, at the end of those two action-less laps, decided to award the top three finishers from Qualifying the podium places.
This is how Russell ended up getting his first podium of the season, and Williams’ first since 2017.
Russell predicted a similar outcome for Williams in 2024, but whether that happens or not, remains to be seen.
