Russell on 2020: "This is an opportunity we'll never get again"

Start of the season will be tough

Russell admits in the F1 Nation podcast that it is going to be incredibly tough to start the 2020 season. “[The lockdown] just gives myself the chance to nail my fitness even more”, said the Brit. "But I think for all of us, it’s going to be incredibly hard. You can train as much as you want, but you obviously lose race fitness."

Russell sees great opportunities for Williams in 2020. In 2019 the team from Grove only managed to grab one paltry point during the crazy Grand Prix of Germany. "Usually everyone is at an incredibly high level", says Russell. “All the drivers are the best in the world and we’re always racing so much so you just get into this groove."

Advantages

"But I think [the delaying of the season] allows people to hopefully get a bit of an advantage when we go back", Russell says. "If people are still rusty, if people are going to make mistakes, it’s going to be in the opening few races, so I need to make sure I’m not one of them."

“Also, from the team’s perspective, I need to try and motivate the guys around me to say, ‘Right, this is an opportunity that we’re not really going to get ever again… so let’s make sure we make the most of these opening few races when we get back'”, concludes Russell.