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It all started with a phone call in July. Mercedes junior junior Mercedes said: "Paddy, I want to be in F1 next year and I want to be in a Williams car. Paddy Lowe: meeting with Claire [Williams, Deputy Team Principal] and you to discuss it further?
A week later, in Hockenheim before the German Grand Prix, Russell met Williams and Lowe to explain why he should sign. The process had begun.
About three months later, the Briton, who is currently leading the F2 Championship race with another lap, has a contract in his pocket. He became the first driver to be confirmed by Williams in 2019, replacing Lance Stroll, who should be part of the Force India team, now owned by his father, Lawrence.
But what did the defending GP3 champion to convince Williams that he deserved a place? "I spent a day on the simulator," Russell told Formula1.com. "They were evaluating my reactions, my speed and the way I interacted with the team. "They later said that it went extremely well. My career in GP3 and F2 was also a determining factor. "
The team was impressed by Russell's performance as a whole and negotiations began. "It was up to Mercedes to negotiate the terms," he said. "I had an implication. That's my career so they've got me involved a lot. It was a joint discussion. "Then it was a match waiting until the Saturday of the Russian Grand Prix in Sochi.
"It's been a while since the cards are on the cards and I had some small indications that this could happen, but you never know," he said. "My Mercedes manager, Gwen Lagrue, sent me a message saying that Claire wanted to talk to you.
"I was a bit unsure, I did not want to have my hopes. I hoped for the best and I thought it would be good news. I went to her office and she had a smile on her face, so I had a good idea of what was coming. When she told me that she wanted me for 2019, I was extremely mistreated.
"Signing the contract was surreal. The more time passes, the more it strikes me that it really happens. F1 has always been a dream for me. Getting this opportunity with Williams is beyond words. "
He first shared the news with his parents – they were in Sochi for his race in F2. Then there was the discussion with Toto Wolff, the director of the Mercedes team, who fought to find places on the F1 grid in 2019 for his protégés – Russell and Esteban Ocon. "He was absolutely delighted. After all that happened, it was a huge relief that we managed to get that message across the line and we were on the F1 grid.
"Mercedes has always had the approach that if we do our job, they will do everything in their power to give us the opportunity. No matter what happened in Esteban, I was reaching all the goals that Mercedes set me and they thought I deserved an opportunity. And have done everything possible to help me secure this.
Staff were briefed at the Williams plant in Grove on Friday morning before the news of Russell's multi-year contract was announced publicly, giving the 20-year-old an opportunity to meet the people he will be working with the year next. However, he knows his main goal must be the F2 finals in Abu Dhabi, where he leads with Alexander Albon's 37 points on a potential 48.
"I will definitely meet the whole factory before Abu Dhabi," he said. "I would love to tour the factory and meet all the people who make this team fight. It will be when the flag falls in Abu Dhabi when I begin to focus on my role at Williams.
"It's my dream in F1, but I can not lose sight of the fact that I still have a championship to win. I am a runner, I am a winner, and it is always, here and now, my goal. Once this box is checked, it focuses on F1. "
His first year will be difficult, with Russell having joined Williams at one of the most difficult moments of his long and illustrious history. Currently, they rank 10th and last in the constructors' championship with four races to come. But attention has been paid next year and heals their problems for a long time now and Russell is ready for the fight.
"I'm extremely motivated for everything," said Russell, who added that he plans to talk to Valtteri Bottas, his teammate at Mercedes, Austin, about his time at Williams. "It's no secret that this is a tough season for Williams this year, but I'm 100% sure there is a lot of talent in this plant.
"There will be a number of changes in order to try to improve the team and I am extremely looking forward to being part of this trip."
VIDEO – Meet George Russell
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