WILLIAMS RULE OUT EXIT FOR RUSSELL

WILLIAMS have seemingly scuppered an all-British partnership with Lewis Hamilton by telling Mercedes to keep their hands off promising rookie George Russell. Close associates of the 21-year-old — a Mercedes junior driver and last year’s Formula 2 champion — believed a move next season was a real possibility. However, Clare Williams is strongly opposed to the idea, the Williams chief saying: ‘I told Toto (Wolff, Mercedes boss) that George is on a three-year deal with us, he is firmly in our plans and is going nowhere.’ Wolff is delaying a decision over the future of Hamilton’s current partner, Valtteri Bottas, whose race-ending crash in the German Grand Prix on Sunday caused his team principal to slam his fists on the desk in anger. Another possible replacement for Bottas, who is on a one-year deal, is Frenchman Esteban Ocon. The 22-year-old, who raced for Manor and Force India, is currently without a seat while acting as Mercedes reserve. Russell has impressed during his first season in Formula One, beating team-mate Robert Kubica in all 11 qualifying sessions. While he is contracted to Williams, it is unclear whether there are escape clauses that would allow the Norfolk-born driver to move if he so desired.