Williams signs young British driver Russell for next season
GROVE, England (AP) George Russell will leave his role as reserve driver for Mercedes to take up a full-time seat with Williams in Formula One next season.
The British-based team said Friday it signed a ''multi-year agreement'' with the 20-year-old Briton.
Russell leads the Formula 2 championship standings and is the test and back-up driver at world champion Mercedes.
He says racing in F1 ''has been a life-long dream'' and that ''it feels surreal that I will now be lining up on the grid, alongside drivers whom I have admired for years.''
Williams deputy team principal Claire Williams says Russell ''is already highly regarded in the paddock and a driver whose career we have been watching for a while.''
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