Williams-bound George relieved with F2 title win

George edged Markelov and Ghiotto by three seconds to pocket his seventh win of the season.

ART driver George Russell is relieved to have secured the FIA Formula 2 title at the Yas Marina Circuit after a tough season.
Even the title-clinching race saw him lose the lead and later regain it from Prema's Nyck de Vries. The Brit finally edged Artem Markelov and Luca Ghiotto by three seconds to pocket his seventh win of the season.
George ended with 287 points and is off to Formula One side Williams next season. He thumped Carlin Motorsport's British driver Lando Norris (219 points), who is confirmed as McLaren racer for 2019.
George's other rival DAMS' Alexander Albon finished third in the standings with 212 points.
George said it was a difficult season and race in Baku was the turning point, which he now sees as great learning curve. "We've worked hard and really deserve this win. We kept fighting despite many things not going for us. Right from Baku, we have been one of the quickest.
"After Race 1 at Baku, we were comfortably in the lead when the safety car came out and we had a bit of an incident with Nyck de Vries at the restart and I lost the win and finished 12th.
"So I started Race 2 from there and came through to win, so that was redemption for the previous day. We had three fantastic weeks where we entered about 30 points back in the championship and came out 37 points or so ahead, so that was fantastic."
The new F2 champion isn't fazed that his rival, who finished second, is at McLaren and not him.
"Lando's early announcement helped me to push Williams for my drive because if I was ahead of him in the championship and McLaren believed he was worthy of a Formula 1 seat it showed there was some great signs for myself, and it probably added more pressure for Williams to say we've got to go with George because he's winning F2."
George will now join Robert Kubica at Williams.  
"I am extremely ready," the newly crowned F2 driver added.
ashwani@khaleejtimes.com