Williams CEO Urged Russell Not To Hold Back Before Bottas Crash in Imola

George Russell is one of the brightest young drivers on the grid today. Although he is yet to score a point with Williams, he has shown real pace and maturity in his third season in F1.

With new investors and a new CEO in Jost Capito, Williams look to restore their former glory in the coming years. Capito believes the team is more motivated, and is pleased to have Russell in his team. He also brought up the Briton’s incident in Imola to highlight how Russell should approach every race.

Capito reveals what he said to George Russell before the race

Jost Capito believes George Russell is one of the best things going for the team. A part of the Mercedes junior driver program, the Briton has beaten two teammates since joining Williams in 2019. While he is still at the back of the pack, this stat portrays the sheer pace he has on race weekends, which often goes unnoticed.

In an interview with Auto Motor und Sport, Capito revealed what he told Russell before the race in Imola. The German said, “I said to George before the race, ‘Listen, we’re not here for a walk. If there is a gap somewhere and you think you can overtake, do so.’ If something happens, I will not blame you.” (Quotes translated from German by Google)

READ MORE: “None of Them Ended up in the Museum”: Marko Dismisses Mercedes’ Budget Cap Concerns Over Imola Crash

Capito lauds “excellent motivation in the team”

The 62-year-old also highlighted the level of motivation and energy within the team. He brought up Russell’s incident in Imola to show the effort that are being put in by the team to work on the car.

He said, “The motivation in the team was excellent. The team spirit is coming again. The employees want to work voluntarily, they make an extra effort. Such an accident, the rebuilding of the car, welds a team together. It wasn’t bad at all for the development of the team.”

With new technical regulations coming in next season, Williams will hope that their fortunes change in 2022. And with the silly season yet to start in the drivers market, George Russell will be in the middle of the storm. Can Williams keep hold of the young Briton? Or will Russell head to Mercedes next season?

Read More: Who Is Jost Capito – the New CEO of Williams?