George Russell must stay on "straight and narrow" to claim Mercedes race seat

Williams

Russell must stay on "straight and narrow" to claim Mercedes race seat

Russell made his debut for Mercedes in the penultimate race of the season at Sakhir

Ian Parkes & Ewan Gale

Tuesday 22 December 2020 05:00

Williams driver George Russell believes he needs to stay on the "straight and narrow" next season in order to prove he is the right man for Mercedes in the future.

Russell impressed on his substitute appearance for Lewis Hamilton in the Sakhir Grand Prix but was cruelly denied a maiden victory by a botched pit-stop and a late puncture.

Whilst he has been on form for Williams across his two-year career in Formula 1, Russell says he must stay true to himself next season to ensure his standards remain high.

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When asked what was needed to cement a future Mercedes drive, Russell said: "I think it's continuing the form, continuing the positive attitude internally with the team and externally.

"It is not getting frustrated with the performance here and trying to push Williams further forward.

"I think Mercedes believe in me, they have given me the opportunity, they have always had my back so it is sort of my duty that I stay on the straight and narrow and that I don't suddenly change over the course of next year because of certain circumstances and not turn into something I am not currently."

Russell revealed his main learning point from the year was how a modern F1 driver has to adapt to machinery after swapping between the best and worst cars of the season.

"I think the thing I have learnt most is that you have to be adaptable," he explained.

"My driving style in the Williams actually slightly hurt me in the Mercedes, and when I came back to the Williams and tried to implement some of the things I did in that Bahrain race [Sakhir GP], I couldn't do it in the Williams.

"So I think that sort of reinforced to me that you have to be open-minded and you have to adapt to whatever the car is giving you. It's not that if you can drive like that in a Mercedes, you can drive like that in a Williams and vice versa."