George Russell Using Mercedes Knowledge with Williams

Improving vehicle performance in Formula One isn’t more important for any team other than Williams Racing. The once legendary outfit has become F1s worst competitor, with grid placements not being higher than 14th in years. That could change next season with innovations that George Russell plans to introduce amongst engineers. Those upgrades follow after Russell competed with Mercedes AMG-Petronas for 2020s second-last race.

Innovations seen in Mercedes W11 that’ll return to the Williams garage include clutch paddles, the start system, and DAS. Incorporating DAS with attributes of Mercedes start system would enable prominent growth for Williams in 2021. This wouldn’t have been possible if Lewis Hamilton hadn’t contracted Covid-19 a week earlier, prompting Mercedes to locate a replacement for the next Grand Prix. After fanfare suggested that George Russell helm the Mercedes W11, Team Manager Toto Wolff allowed the sponsored driver to compete.

George Russell would’ve his maiden Formula One Podium if Mercedes didn’t destroy their driver’s pitstop. George Russell & Valtteri Bottas received the wrong tyre compounds, prompting both drivers to pit again. Multiple positions were lost for both drivers. George Russell would instead sustain P11, one rank higher than what was earned with Williams AMG-Petronas.

The Start System

Intelligence regarding prominent attributes of Mercedes AMG-Petronas’s engineering cannot be revealed to Williams. George Russell signed a Non-Disclosure Agreement, which if broken, would result in significant fines & lawsuits for the British racer—informing Williams how DAS works won’t likely be permitted. However, Russell’s informative innovations that can be taught to Williams Engineers include the start system & clutch paddles.

The Head of Vehicle Performance for Williams Racing discussed the suggestions that Russell has detained. Confirmations were provided that Williams’s start system is being innovated thanks to George’s time at Mercedes AMG-Petronas. HVP Dave Robinson believes that upgrades will enable Williams to compete alongside Haas & Alpha Tauri by 2021, with the possibility of competing against Renault by 2022. Those would be significant advancements for Williams in two seasons.