Budapest (AFP)
Briton George Russell and Canadian Nicholas Latifi will still race for Williams next season, the drivers and the British team announced Thursday, on the sidelines of the Hungarian Formula 1 Grand Prix.
"I will stay with Williams in 2021," said Russell at a press conference held at the Hungaroring in Budapest. The 22-year-old Briton's contract ran until the end of 2021 but, as a member of the Mercedes industry, he could have been promoted to the manufacturer before that date.
"Claire (Williams, the stable manager, editor's note) was not ready to let me go and I am under contract with Williams, I must respect this decision," said Russell.
His retention in his current team suggests that Mercedes will also keep the same driver duo, the British Lewis Hamilton - not surprisingly - and the Finnish Valtteri Bottas, next year.
"We have started to discuss it," Bottas said on Thursday. "Nothing has been signed yet, but things are going in the right direction."
Asked in turn about his future, Latifi, who started in F1 this season at the age of 25 and contested his third Grand Prix only this weekend, said he had a "contract of several years".
Following the press conference, Williams confirmed on Twitter that he is "looking forward to seeing these two continue to work with the team next year."
The 2020 F1 season started on July 5 in Austria behind closed doors and more than three months late due to the new coronavirus pandemic. The Hungarian GP on Sunday will be the third round.
© 2020 AFP