Russell buoyed by big teams turning to young talent

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Williams' George Russell says the trend among Formula 1's big teams to bet on young talent bodes well for his own chances of stepping up to the next level in the near future.

Ferrari's recent hiring of Carlos Sainz as Sebastian Vettel's replacement at the end of the 2020 season followed the Scuderia's recruitment at the end of 2018 of 21-year-old Charles Leclerc.

Next year, Leclerc and Sainz will form the youngest driver pairing at Ferrari since 1968.

But Red Bull Racing's line-up is equally full of young energy thanks to Max Verstappen and Alex Albon, respectively 22 and 24.

Russell hopes to test 'anything with four wheels' before season starts

As a Mercedes protégé, Russell naturally hopes the German outfit will follow the front-runners' current bias towards young drivers.

"Mercedes doesn't have a junior programme for no reason, like with Red Bull and Ferrari," the Briton told Sky F1. "The whole goal is to develop a driver and bring them through into the main seat."

However, Russell recognizes the advantages of favoring stability, with Mercedes swapping just one driver - Nico Rosberg for Valtteri Bottas in 2017 - since it initiated its crushing run of world championship titles in 2014.

"I think obviously it's a lot about timing as well," he added.

"Formula 1, there are only two seats per team and at Mercedes, you've obviously got Lewis doing the business, Valtteri's there and they've been a great pairing for the last couple of years winning championships.

"There are parts of them saying 'Why do we need to change?' but on the other hand you start to look at Ferrari with the likes of Carlos and Charles, arguably they could be there for the next four, five, six years as a pairing.

"Likewise with Daniel and Lando at McLaren and Alex and Max at Red Bull. For any industry or business, having that stability is hugely important.

"Looking at the past in Formula 1 with Ferrari, with Schumacher and Barrichello, that stability I think really helps. It's great to see that these teams are looking to the future and we'll see what's next."

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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.