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Russell engaged Williams with a phone call to Paddy Lowe!

George Russell's road to a ride with Williams in 2019 started with a bold phone call to technical director Paddy Lowe back in July.

The 20-year-old didn't yet have a firm grip on the F2 championship early on in the summer but as a Mercedes protégé who had sampled F1 machinery on several occasions, with the Silver Arrows outfit and with Force India, Russell knew where he wanted to race in 2019.

To make things happen, he simply picked up his phone and called Paddy Lowe, requesting a meeting with the Williams manager and its deputy team principal, Claire Williams.

"Paddy, I want to be in F1 next year and I want to be in a Williams car – can we arrange a meeting with Claire and yourself to discuss this further?" he recalled, speaking to Formula1.com.

A meeting subsequently took place, and Williams agreed to evaluate the young hopeful in its simulator.

“I spent a day on the simulator," he remembered.

“They were assessing my feedback and speed and how I interacted with the team. They told me afterwards that it went extremely well.

"My track record in GP3 and F2 has been a major factor, too."

Russell wasn't a free agent however, and as a Mercedes contracted driver he let his employer pick up the negotiations.

"It was left to Mercedes to negotiate terms," he said. "I had involvement. This is my career so they involved me a lot. It was a joint discussion."

Russell is now a bona fide F1 driver, but the reality of the status still hasn't sunk in.
"Signing the contract was surreal," he admitted.

"The more time is passing, the more it is hitting me that this is really happening. F1 has been a lifelong dream for me. To get this opportunity with Williams is beyond words."

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Phillip van Osten

Motor racing was a backdrop from the outset in Phillip van Osten's life. Born in Southern California, Phillip grew up with the sights and sounds of fast cars thanks to his father, Dick van Osten, an editor and writer for Auto Speed and Sport and Motor Trend. Phillip's passion for racing grew even more when his family moved to Europe and he became acquainted with the extraordinary world of Grand Prix racing. He was an early contributor to the monthly French F1i Magazine, often providing a historic or business perspective on Formula 1's affairs. In 2012, he co-authored along with fellow journalist Pierre Van Vliet the English-language adaptation of a limited edition book devoted to the great Belgian driver Jacky Ickx. He also authored "The American Legacy in Formula 1", a book which recounts the trials and tribulations of American drivers in Grand Prix racing. Phillip is also a commentator for Belgian broadcaster Be.TV for the US Indycar series.

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