Russell: It was 'tough' to watch Norris and Albon have more success in their first seasons

In this week's round-up, Mercedes driver George Russell confesses it was "tough" to watch fellow rookies Lando Norris and Alexander Albon have more productive seasons than him during his first year at Williams.

George Russell in a file photo. (Twitter: @GeorgeRussell63)
By Mahaksh Chauhan | Dec 12, 2022 | 2 Min Read follow icon Follow Us

During his first year at Williams, Mercedes driver George Russell confesses he found it “tough” to watch fellow rookies Lando Norris and Alexander Albon enjoy more productive seasons. Russell joined Williams in Formula One in 2019 after winning Formula 2 the previous season. He had a pointless season with the squad that battled all season with the slowest car on the grid. Russell said on an episode of the High Performance Podcast that he had difficult to watch his fellow rookies achieve greater success than him in his first year in Formula 1.

“That was a truly strange season for my first year in Formula One, joining Williams and a team on the verge of bankruptcy,” Russell explained. “Every race weekend, it was racing to survive – not racing to perform; the team was racing to exist, and the jobs of 800 people were at issue.” “There was no doubt when I arrived in Australia for the first race, I’m here in Formula 1 – one goal realised – and go out on track and we’re four seconds off the pace, the car’s coming apart, and we’re getting lapped two or three times.” You’re left wondering, ‘Is this a dream?’ But I believe I’ve always had a logical approach to things. And it was difficult to comprehend watching Alex in a Red Bull scoring podiums and being the man, to a degree, and Lando similarly always in the points. Because I had just returned from Formula 2, where I had beaten them.”

Magnussens take seventh

Kevin Magnussen of Haas F1 and his father, former F1 driver Jan Magnussen, finished sixth in yesterday’s Gulf 12 Hours at the Yas Marina Circuit with teammate Mark Kvamme. Over the course of the endurance race, the trio completed 332 laps of the circuit in their Ferrari 488 GT3 car, finishing seventh overall and fifth in their class. The two Magnussens and Kvamme will compete together again at the Daytona 24 Hours next month. Meanwhile Nasser Al-Attiyah, World Rally Raid champion, thinks Fernando Alonso would compete in the famed Dakar Rally again in the future. Toyota entered the two-time Formula One world champion in the 2020 Dakar Rally in Saudi Arabia. He finished the race in 13th place overall. In the automobiles class, Carlos Sainz Snr won the race.