Jost Capito says he would not hold back George Russell if the chance of racing for the Mercedes-AMG Petronas Formula One Team comes for him in 2022.
Russell has been linked with a move to Mercedes to replace Valtteri Bottas for next season having impressed everyone with his performances for Williams Racing, even though he has yet to score a point with them in two-and-a-half years of racing. Russell has qualified inside the top ten in the Austrian and British Grand Prix but has been let down by the performance of the car when it mattered on race day.
Capito, the Team Principal and CEO at Williams, believes Russell is ready to move up to a top team in Formula 1, having shown again and again his credentials in a car that is at best the ninth fastest car on the grid. And the Team Principal says the team are willing to wait on the decision about Russell’s future about confirming their line-up for 2022, the first year of the new aerodynamic regulations in Formula 1.
“I would wish that George gets this seat, because he is in the position now in his career where he can handle to be in a top team and fight for the championship,” Capito is quoted as saying by Motorsport.com.
“I would never hold a young driver back if he can have this kind of opportunity. So I hope for him that he gets this opportunity.
“From the team side, of course we would very much love to keep him. So if he goes to Mercedes and gets the offer, he gets the full support from us. If not, he gets the full support from us as well.
“And that’s why on our driver side, we can easily wait until that decision is taken, whatever way it comes. We’ll be OK.”