WILLIAMS CONFIRMS GEORGE RUSSELL FOR 2019 SEASON
Russell will make his debut for the squad at the 2019 Australian grand Prix, and is the first driver to be confirmed for Williams’ 2019 line-up.
The 20-year-old looks set to join F1 as Formula 2 champion. Having taken the GP3 crown last year, He leads the F2 championship by 37 points with only two races remaining.
“It is a huge honour to join a team of Williams’ prestige and heritage,” Russell said.
“Formula 1 has been a life-long dream. From watching the races when I was a child, it feels surreal that I will not be lining up on the grid, alongside drivers whom I have admired for years.
I would like to thank Claire and everyone at Williams for their faith in making this decision, as well as Toto [Wolff] and the team at Mercedes for their fantastic support throughout GP3 and Formula 2. I am incredibly excited to start working with everyone at Grove and to take my first steps as a Formula 1 race driver.
I cannot wait for Melbourne next year and to join Williams at the start of an exciting new journey.”
Russell, who spent the year as Mercedes reserve driver, has already tested in modern F1 machinery, running with Force India and Mercedes over the past two season.
Unlike fellow F2 graduate Lando Norris, Russell is yet to make any Free Practice 1 appearances this year, preferring to focus on the F2 title.
Williams has endured a difficult 2018 and currently lies bottom of the championship standings. The team hopes to change its fortunes with Russell on board next season.
“We have already tried to promote and develop young talent and Williams, and George fits that ethos perfectly,” said deputy team principal Claire Williams.
“He is already highly regarded in the paddock and a driver whose career we have been watching for a while.
In the time we have spent with him so far, we believe that he will be a great fit for our team; his commitment, passion and dedication is exactly what we need to drive the positive momentum building at Grove as we focus on our future.
We are extremely excited to welcome George and work with him moving forward.”
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Article Written By: Bethonie Waring
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