George Russell Joins Mercedes F1 From 2022
September 7, 2021 / By Zunair Tahir / Automotive News
George Russell has been announced as Lewis Hamilton’s 2022 teammate after signing a long-term contract with Mercedes. Russell, 23, has been a Mercedes junior driver since 2017 and gets his opportunity after three seasons in Formula One with Williams.
Russell stated, “It’s a momentous day for me personally and professionally, but it’s also a day of mixed feelings.” “I’m both delighted and honored to be joining Mercedes next year, which is a major professional step for me, but it also means saying goodbye to my Williams teammates and friends. It’s been a privilege to work with each and every member of the team, as well as to represent the Williams name in Formula One.
“I’d be lying if I claimed I wasn’t ecstatic about the prospect of next season. It’s a tremendous chance that I want to seize with both hands. But I have no illusions about the magnitude of the task; it will be a steep learning curve.
Valtteri has established a high bar for himself, regularly producing victories, pole positions, and contributing to many championship triumphs. My goal must be to repay Toto [Wolff, Squad Principal], the team, and the board’s faith in me by ensuring that I contribute to the team’s continued success, and I want to make my new teammates proud.
Russell, who also paid respect to Williams, said, “It’s a big chance that I want to seize with both hands.” “However, I have no illusions about the magnitude of the task; it will be a steep learning curve.”
Mercedes evaluated the known quantity of Bottas – who has battled but failed to defeat seven-time champion Hamilton over the course of a season – against their emerging F1 prodigy, Russell.
In the end, they chose the man who, in addition to blazing down the grid at Williams, excelled in his one-off outing in the Mercedes last December in Bahrain when standing in for Hamilton.
