Claire Williams and the “difficult blockade” to Mercedes with Russell in 2021

The former attached director of the Williams team, Claire Williamshas been sincere on the decision in his day to block the signing of George Russell by Mercedes.

Williams was founded by Claire’s father, Frank Williamsin 1977. Claire took over in 2013 and led the team for eight seasons before selling it at the end of 2020. Russell joined the team in 2019 for its first season in F1 and stayed until the end of 2021 before going to Mercedes.

While talking to Tom Clarkson In the Podcast F1 Beyond the Grid, Claire Williams shared some of his experiences about Russell’s time in the Grove team.

“George really wanted to go to Mercedes, and was clearly disgusted. As much as I would have liked to make George’s dreams come true, I couldn’t. That was one of the most difficult parts to be a team director for me. I have seen that at the beginning of this season, George is at a different level, some pilots reach that area of ​​absolute superstar. And George is there now. “

Brackley’s team showed his interest in signing Russell for the 2021 season when he still had a contract with Williams. The British pilot replaced the seven-time Lewis Hamilton champion at the 2020 Sakhir Grand Prix in Bahrain when the latter tested positive for COVID-19. Russell lost the Pole Position for little and could not fight for his first victory in F1 due to a puncture.

“George was incredibly important to me. But you know, when you enter a negotiation with a team like Mercedes and are not offering you what they should for your ace, who is a star pilot, not only your star pilot, so why would you simply let him go?” Williams continued.

“What kind of team director would have been if I had let George go because Mercedes said: ‘We want George now.’ Things don’t work like this. A pilot is in the middle of the contract, and another team arrives, the older brother. No, I’m sorry, it’s my pilot“He explained.

Claire Williams also wanted to explain How was the complicated conversation with George Russell at that time: “George really wanted to go to Mercedes, and I was clearly disgusted. It was very difficult. It was very difficult to stand firm because if someone comes to me and is upset and it is because of me, because I am blocking him or whatever I am doing, it’s very difficult, you know?”

“But I had to put my team first. It was not just about … it could not be just George. As much as I would have liked to make George’s dreams come true, I couldn’t at that time“.

“And that was one of the most difficult parts to be a team director for me. And he goes against … you know, I am a person who pleases people, that is my personality. I want to help people and make their lives better and do the right thing for people. And I was not able to do that with George. And I will always hate, I will not hate myself for that, but I do not feel good for it. But I had to do it for my team.”

Russell finally achieved his goal and signed for Mercedes in 2022. That same year he won his first victory in an F1 race in the Brazilian Grand Prix. The 27 -year -old pilot is now the leader of the German team and has the debutant Andrea Kimi Antonelli as a partner, a couple who has already achieved 141 points so far this season, something that places Mercedes in the second place of the classification of builders, behind McLaren, who has 246 points.