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The 2020 Sakhir Grand Prix saw George Russell fill in at Mercedes for Lewis Hamilton after the latter tested positive for COVID-19. After a phenomenal drive albeit with an unfortunate ending, expectations for Russell coming into 2021 were reasonably high, despite a less competitive car.
Needless to say, the 23-year-old extracted the maximum potential of his Williams. Not only did he out-qualify team-mate Nicolas Latifi 20 out of 22 times but also scored his maiden podium for the team at Spa. All these achievements resulted in a P15 finish for the Briton in the drivers' standings, his best since the beginning of his F1 career. The 2021 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix marked George Russell's final race with Williams before heading to Mercedes to partner Lewis Hamilton in 2022.
Stats and information
- Team: Williams Racing
- Team Principal: Jost Capito
- Points: 16
- Wins: 0
- Laps Led: 0
- Podiums: 1
- Pole Positions: 0
What went right for George Russell in the F1 2021 season?
It is no secret that Williams has not offered their drivers a very competitive car. The team ended up with 0 points in 2020 and only a single point the year before that. The team-mate pair, however, have taken the constructor to an impressive P8 finish in the standings with a total of 23 points this year. This makes 2021 Russell's most successful year of his F1 career so far.
Both drivers were unable to score any points up until the Hungarian Grand Prix. The race saw a thrilling double-point finish for the first time at Williams since 2018 where Russell scored his first points in P8 ahead of Max Verstappen.
Taking the momentum ahead into the Belgian Grand Prix, George Russell managed to achieve his maiden F1 race victory under the bizarre conditions at Spa. The Briton was on the brink of scoring his first pole position in a glorious qualifying session with an undeniably less competitive car. Russell pulled off a stellar lap under the wet conditions at Spa, which resulted in a P2 finish for him. With nothing to lose, Russell was not afraid to take risks and put up a brave lap.
Half the points were awarded to the top 10 drivers as dangerous weather conditions on Sunday allowed for only 2 laps to take place behind the safety car. The session was subsequently red-flagged, and Williams won their first podium since 2017 as a result.
Just before heading into the summer break, Russell secured P9 in Monza and a P10 finish at the Russian Grand Prix. He made full use of the opportunities presented in the chaotic races and limiting damage.
What went wrong for George Russell in the F1 2021?
The season did not start in the best possible way for George Russell. In the very second race at Imola, he crashed into the Mercedes of Valtteri Bottas, resulting in retirement for both drivers from the Emilia Romagna Grand Prix.
Whilst the Hungarian Grand Prix was the first to set the tone for a stronger season for Williams this year, it also marked the end of George Russell's streak of 13 consecutive appearances in Q2. Having come to be known as "Mr. Saturday" for his exceptional qualifying pace over the season, the qualifying session in Hungary was definitely a disappointment. He managed to secure P17 ahead of his team-mate, claiming he "didn’t have the confidence in the car" on the day of qualifying.
The Styrian Grand Prix was also absolutely devastating for Russell. He endured a power unit issue just on the brink of finishing at P7 which would have amounted to substantial points for the team.
Russell was also unable to make it to Q3 in Turkey. Oversteering in the final corner and mistakes regarding tire management cost the team their place in Q3.
Russell had what he described as his "worst qualifying of the year" at the Brazilian Grand Prix where was out-qualified by his team-mate for the very first time.
Additionally, a gearbox problem in Baku, a difficult weekend at the Dutch Grand Prix, a nasty collision with the Haas of Nikita Mazepin in Saudi Arabia, and engine issues at the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix all resulted in the retirement of his car. Together, these issues definitely did not make George Russell's third year in F1 any easier.
What to expect from George Russell in the 2022 F1 season?
With Valtteri Bottas moving to Alfa Romeo, George Russell will be parting ways with Williams to join Lewis Hamilton at Mercedes. The 23-year-old has shown exceptional skill and potential to be fighting for the championship title himself.
With considerably the most competitive car on the current grid, Russell is expected to fight for podiums and wins, contributing to the growing success of Mercedes as a team.
What stood out most for the German team over the past 5 years and contributed greatly to the wins the team has seen was the partnership and team-work between Bottas and Hamilton. In 2022, the two Britons on the eight-time constructors' championship-winning team are expected to work well as a team and push each other to bring out the best possible result overall.
