Claire Williams to Mercedes: "George Russell is going nowhere"

Claire Williams has told Mercedes to keep their hands off George Russell. Mercedes are thought to be looking for a possible replacement for Valtteri Bottas and the Williams driver is a possibility for the seat. However, Williams has said that Russell is signed to the team for three years and will want him to fulfill his contract.

"I told Toto that George is on a three-year contract with us, he is firmly in our plans for the future and is going nowhere," Claire Williams said to the Daily Mail.

Toto Wolff has admitted that Mercedes are looking at potential drivers for the future and at the moment it looks like it is between George Russell and Esteban Ocon.

"We’re very happy with the development of Esteban and equally George," said Wolff. "They are our most senior junior drivers and the aim is to make them ready for a seat in a Mercedes. You want to take all the time you properly need to assess (the line-up).

It is unclear if Russell has a break in his contract with Williams and if he would be able to go to Mercedes if he was offered a place.

Either way, Russell or Ocon could be driving in the fastest car on the grid before too long.