George Russell gave Williams board such strong advice ‘they couldn’t take him seriously’
George Russell joins Lewis Hamilton at Mercedes
We use your sign-up to provide content in ways you’ve consented to and to improve our understanding of you. This may include adverts from us and 3rd parties based on our understanding. You can unsubscribe at any time. More info
George Russell so strongly suggested Alex Albon as his replacement at Williams that the team couldn’t take his opinion seriously. Russell is set to make the step up from Williams to Mercedes in 2022, with Valtteri Bottas joining Alfa Romeo.
The Briton’s move to partner Lewis Hamilton at the Silver Arrows left a vacant seat at Williams which has now been filled by his friend Albon.
Williams were reportedly deciding between the Thai-British driver and Nyck de Vries.
While Russell praised the Dutch star, he gave his full support to Albon – and it was perhaps a bit too much.
“Obviously George is a close friend of mine,” Albon told media members.
JUST IN: Mercedes have ‘a list of problems’ in Lewis Hamilton cause for concern
“I would almost say [he was] too supportive, as I remember that the board guys saying like, we can’t really take George’s opinion because he’s so supportive of you, so it was very funny.
“I said I owe him a couple of beers. Hopefully we’ll grab dinner and we can celebrate our moves together.”
Albon, who is racing in the DTM this year in an AF Corse Ferrari 488 GT3, attracted interest from Alfa Romeo – Bottas’ new team after Kimi Raikkonen announced his intention to retire at the end of the season.
He opted to sign for Williams instead, citing the investment from new owners and the improvements the team have made in the last year.
DON’T MISS
Mercedes boss calls for FIA precedent after Hamilton crash
Lewis Hamilton and Max Verstappen crash analysed by Carlos Sainz
Mercedes have Alex Albon clause at Williams to protect in 2022
“I would say they’re both great teams,” Albon acknowledged.
“Looking at Williams, I would say the first thing is they look like they’re on the up.
“They’ve obviously got the investment coming in, but I also had the chance to visit the team and they all seemed very positive and optimistic.
“They were very keen to talk to me and get involved and to make things happen. It seemed like a great choice to get me back on the grid.”
Follow our new Daily Express Sport Instagram page here
Albon, who admitted he had a backup plan to go to IndyCar if his F1 return did not pan out, expressed his gratitude to Red Bull.
He climbed the ranks at the energy drink manufacturer, moving from Toro Rosso to Red Bull in his rookie season before enduring a torrid 2020 campaign alongside Max Verstappen.
His move to Williams is somewhat controversial as the team is powered by Mercedes, Red Bull’s great rivals.
However, Albon stated the move to Williams ‘moved quickly’ once the necessary dominoes regarding Bottas and Russell fell: “They made it clear to me that they really wanted me.”
Formula 1 returns for the Russian Grand Prix in Sochi on September 26, with Red Bull’s Max Verstappen holding a slender five-point lead over seven-time world champion Lewis Hamilton.
Source: Read Full Article