Mercedes boss Toto Wolff has explained that not wanting to “burn” George Russell is the reason why he is not under consideration for a 2020 Formula 1 seat at the team.
Mercedes is currently evaluating whether to retain Valtteri Bottas or promote long-term junior and reserve Esteban Ocon, who has started 50 grands prix for Manor and Force India.
Russell joined Mercedes’ junior programme ahead of the 2017 campaign, went on to secure back-to-back titles in GP3 and Formula 2, and has tested Formula 1 machinery with the manufacturer across the past three years.
The 21-year-old stepped up to Formula 1 this season on a multi-year deal with a Williams team that has regularly found itself mired at the back of the grid amid problems with its recalcitrant FW42.
Russell has impressed both on- and off-track but Wolff reckons a Mercedes seat in 2020 would be too soon for the Briton on his development path, making a comparison with rivals Red Bull to underline his point.
“I think you have got to consider that these guys come into Formula 1 at a very young age and there are exceptions to the norm, such as Max Verstappen, that have been given an environment at Toro Rosso to learn and make mistakes, and even at Red Bull he was given the room to make mistakes,” said Wolff.
“He has also been given the possibility, even though he was extremely talented and well developed by his talent, he was given the possibility to learn, which is certainly a strength of the Red Bull and Toro Rosso situation.
“I don’t think that you are given the possibility to learn in a Mercedes.
“You are being put in a car that is able to win races and championships in a high-pressure environment.
“I think it can go terribly wrong for a young driver who has the talent to become a World Champion if he is thrown in that environment against the best driver of his generation who has been with us for seven years, and I wouldn’t want to burn George.”
Russell has spent 2019 largely marooned at the rear of the field on account of Williams’ struggles, and Wolff has suggested that his protégé’s rookie season will have an influential factor moving forward.
“I think he is in a very good place with Williams,” said Wolff.
“He has helped them to come back, to form, learn and appreciate when a car functions well. He saw me after qualifying [in Hungary] and he was very happy that they now have more understanding of how to tune the car.
“It is these moments that he needs to learn to appreciate so that one day if he is given a car that fights for championships and race [wins] he appreciates that situation as well.
“So I think it [a 2020 Mercedes seat] would come too early, and on top of that we try to be respectful to all contracts we sign, and we signed a contract, we knew what we were doing and we made it with Williams and this is where he is and this is where he has got to learn.”
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