F1 News
David Coulthard praises George Russell: "He doesn't even crash to get attention!"
David Coulthard has praised George Russell for his debut season in Formula 1. The Williams driver performed consistently and drove better than his Formula 1 veteran teammate, Robert Kubica. He had a very quiet season but those who truly know the sport have praised him and are excited to see how far he could go.
"He is, I think, a great talent who mainly develops when the cameras are not aimed at him on the circuit," he said during the Autosport International Show. "He's so good himself, he doesn't even crash to get in the spotlight!"
Many want to see the young British racer in a faster car, so he can really prove himself but Coulthard believes his time will come.
“I think that, because of his strong talent and his ties with Mercedes, he doesn't have to worry. We could compare his performance with that of Robert Kubica, and he (Russell) showed to be consistent. That is the most important thing in qualification."
Will we see Russell and Hamilton at Mercedes?
Russell has the talent to drive for Mercedes and knows that he could perform at the top of the grid. It is, therefore, a difficult decision for Russell. Should he stay at Williams and hope a Mercedes seat opens up in the future, or risk moving to a different team.
Coulthard thinks that Russell should take it slow and take a few more years to really prepare for when he does step up.
“There is no doubt about whether he will be up to the challenge of a competitive Formula 1 in a few years. In fact, he will be able to handle it mentally better. That is something we regularly underestimate."
It will be interesting to see what happens with Russell as fans really want to see him racing further up the grid.