Russell: F2 form puts pressure on Mercedes

Challenging for this year’s Formula 2 title, George Russell aims to put as much pressure as he can on Mercedes to secure him a Formula 1 race seat for next season.

The Mercedes protege is currently leading the Formula 2 standings with 170 points and four race wins.

That puts him 12 points ahead of Lando Norris, another youngster looking to step up to F1 next season.

Russell, who has been linked to a Williams race seat for 2019, is hoping that if he maintains his form, he’ll force Mercedes into helping him find a way onto the F1 grid.

“I think it’s going well in the sense that what we are doing in F2, it can still be better there’s no doubt but we’re doing, as a team with ART we are doing a really good job,” Russell told Motorsport.com.

“I think I am really being able to show everybody what I’m capable of and I think it’s definitely putting pressure on Toto [Wolff] and other teams on the grid to look at me, hopefully, and see they can have a good relationship with this drive.

“And from that side I’m pleased with how the season is going. All I can do is keep on putting pressure on these teams.”

The Brit put himself firmly in the shop window on Wednesday when he tested for Mercedes at the Hungaroring.

Read more: Confirmed deals for the 2019 season

Putting on the hypersoft tyres for a late run, he posted a new unofficial lap record for the Budapest track.

However, he does acknowledge that being quickest on one lap isn’t all that the teams are looking for.

“I think it’s important to recognise what they need from that part of the test,” he said.

“Sometimes they want you to go out and drive as quick as possible, sometimes they need you to be consistent over two or three runs because they need to correlate those three different set-up items.

“I think they are looking for adaptability between sessions and for a driver to show them what he can do, and that’s what I am trying to show them.

“When they need me to be quick, I can be quick, when they need me to be consistent I can do a run of 12 laps within half a second or whatever, over and over again. Outside of F2 I think this is something good I can prove to them.”

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