After three years at Williams, George Russell will formalize his transfer to Mercedes in 2022, a team in which he will finally be able and should demonstrate his skills in a potentially superior car. Dave Robson , who knows Russell very well, knows what to expect.
“I think weekends are very different for them (Mercedes),” says Williams’ performance boss of Russell ‘s new status as a driver for a top team. “Especially on Saturday, but the whole dynamic of the race is different when you’re racing up front.”
During his time at Williams, the Briton only started from the front row once, at the 2021 Belgian Grand Prix which was not even held due to inclement weather.
“What happened at Spa was obviously good for us in terms of points,” Robson said, but it would have been nice for George to have had a normal race starting from the front row to see how he really felt. We would have done worse, but I probably would have learned a lot.”
“I think that’s probably going to be the biggest thing he’s going to have to deal with at Mercedes . Plus, of course, he’s going to have a completely different car and tires and he’s going to be under pressure from a world champion across the garage,” he says. Williams Engineer.
Robson knows Lewis Hamilton from his time at McLaren, where he became Jenson Button’s race engineer in 2010. The two drivers were teammates for three years. What differences and similarities can Robson find compared to Russell?
“I think Jenson and Lewis were quite different and George is also different in terms of driving style. He’s somewhere between the two.
“But to a certain extent it’s about knowing how to use the tires well and they have changed, so I don’t know what Lewis’s style is like right now,” explains Robson . “The most important thing is that George is adaptable, he is quite intuitive and I think he will continue to improve. He has the necessary talent.”
“But when it comes to his style and his attitude, he is no less than these two (Hamilton and Button). His work ethic and the way he brings the team together, as well as his skill and self-confidence.”
Russell is ready to lead a team like Mercedes
Finally, Dave Robson assured that Russell does not come to the silver star team to be a second driver: “He has pretty solid opinions and beliefs about what to do in free practice on Friday and, of course, in qualifying” .
As an example, he cited tire management and his preparation for a fast lap: “In this situation, I’m sure he’s the best sensor in the car. So I had no problem letting him make the decisions because he’s in the better position to do it.
“But yeah, sometimes, especially with regard to traffic, if things went really wrong and it cost you a qualifying lap, of course I was angry, but that’s just part of it.”
