Capito expects Russell to challenge Verstappen/Hamilton

Williams boss Jost Capito is sure that his former driver George Russell can compete with Lewis Hamilton and Max Verstappen.

After three seasons in Formula 1 withWilliamswith the backing of Mercedes, Russell now gets the chance to step up to the Mercedes team for 2022, where he will partner seven-time World ChampionHamilton.

The 2021 title battle was contested by Hamilton and Verstappen, who were in a league of their own throughout the campaign, leaving respective team-mates Valtteri Bottas and Sergio Perez to play a supporting role in the Constructors’ Championship scrap.

But with Russell now possessing Mercedes machinery, Capito believes the Briton can definitely compete at the level of Hamilton and Verstappen.

Speaking to RTL, he said: “I think he can fight with Verstappen, I’m sure of that.

“The first time in the car, he will immediately do great, that’s going to be a challenge for Hamilton.

“It’s going to be exciting to follow that team-internal fight.”

Capito explained that Russell has a different temperament to the defending World Champion Verstappen, but that this does not make him any less capable as a driver.

“Russell has a completely different character, but he doesn’t have to look like Verstappen,” said Capito.

“You don’t have to have the same character to go hard.

“He is mentally strong and is not easily impressed by anything. That was already the case when he was not as good as he is now at the beginning of his career. He develops and grows with all the new challenges that are thrown at him, without bending or breaking.”

2022辆汽车将新司机grid, regulatory changes that are perhaps thebiggest which Formula 1 has ever seen.

That should work in Russell’s advantage as he looks to settle in to Mercedes, but as Capito points out, the Briton is not really new to the team, having contested the 2020 Sakhir Grand Prix in place of Hamilton who tested positive for Covid-19, while he has also put in plenty of work in the Mercedes simulator.

“So it’s not really a new team for him,” Capito stated.

“He is also strong in the simulator and uses that tool well to develop himself. If he gets into the new car, it won’t feel new, because he has already driven thousands of kilometres with it in the simulator.”