Toto Wolff believes Williams Martini Racing would be best being bold and placing an up-and-coming driver in their second car alongside Lance Stroll, but the boss of the Mercedes AMG Petronas Formula One Team acknowledges the need for it to be financially viable for the Grove-based team.
Sergey Sirotkin appears to be favourite for the seat, while Robert Kubica, Paul di Resta, Daniil Kvyat and Pascal Wehrlein have all been linked with the drive, but Wolff feels they should invest in the future and bring in someone like GP3 Series champion George Russell or FIA European Formula 3 champion Lando Norris to partner teenager Stroll.
However, Williams needs financially support, and with Sirotkin set to bring up to fifteen million pounds of investment to the team, thanks to the support of SMP Racing, it appears the likes of Russell and Norris will have to wait for their break.
“If I were Williams today I would be bold and would put a George Russell or a Lando Norris in the car or a [Charles] Leclerc,” said Wolff to the BBC. “One of these really bright talented kids who have won championships in the past to develop the next superstar.
“But having said that there is a financial reality they live in and they have to find the right compromise.”
