Claire Williams remembers when he blocked Russell’s passage to Mercedes

The former attached director of the Williams team, Claire Williams, has sincerely been able to block George Russell’s signing by Mercedes.

Williams Racing was founded by Claire’s father, Frank Williams, in 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 rookie season in Formula 1 and stayed until the end of 2021 before passing to Mercedes.

While talking with Tom Clarkson on the Beyond the Grid podcast, Williams shared some details about Russell’s time in the Grove headquarters.

“George really wanted to go to Mercedes, and I was clearly disgusted. As much I would have liked to make George’s dreams come true, I could not. That was one of the most difficult parts to be a team director for me. I have seen that the beginning of this season, George is at a different level, and this is what I think is seen with the pilots. They reach that area of ​​absolute super stars. 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 was lost by little Pole position and was on his way to fighting for his first victory in Formula 1 during the race when a puncture forced him to enter boxes, which made him finish ninth.

“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 A, not only your star pilot A, so why would you simply let it 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 halfway, and another team arrives, the older brother. No, I’m sorry, it’s my pilot.”

Expanding how the conversation with Russell was at that time, Williams added: “George really wanted to go to Mercedes, and I was clearly disgusted. It was very difficult. It was very difficult to stay firm because if someone comes to me and is upset and it is because of me, because I am blocking it or whatever I am doing, it is very difficult, you know?”

“But I had to put my team first. It wasn’t just about … it couldn’t be George’s only. As much 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 do people, you know, 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.

Russell finally 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 is now a companion of the Italian debutante Andrea Kimi Antonelli, and the couple has assured the team 141 points so far this season. Mercedes is currently second in the Builders Championship, behind McLaren, which adds 246 points.