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Oh- Did nawt expect that

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I got an interesting moment from the interview

Here George mentions "Harry (Soden) and Gary were my Infinity Sports Management from last year. I've now been taken over by Mercedes but I still have a close relationship with them"

Does that mean what Helmut said about George being managed by Toto is not wrong? Either fully or partially?

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what do you mean by red bull loan?

So turning back the clock to 2020, after George's 💥💥 performance at Sakhir GP, RBR starts approaching him to replace AA23 with $5M salary offer. But Toto intervened in that offer (source 1, source 2)

Then there are two rumors

1. A possible "loan"

Where RBR probably tried to talk George to leave Williams and join RBR but was intervened AGAIN by Toto since Toto never wanted George to leave Mercedes structure for even a year. Why do I think loan? Normally, you can think "Oh George can go to Williams, try things at Red Bull then he could make his choices later" but yeah in Mercedes' dictionary, it's a big no.

This is the similar situation as the FRECA one tbh. Mercedes did not let George go to Carlin for his 2nd FRECA year because Carlin was with VW and preferred George to join a new Hitech team. Ig "once you're Mercedes, you're Mercedes"

2. A possible "buy out"

When we're talking about luring people with money, it's easy. But in George's case, it's not. Why? Williams' contract. That water tight contract that serves as the problem to Mercedes as well. If RBR wants George to drive for them in 2021, they need to buy out his contract. Which RTL there implies "his Williams contract should be the smallest problem" which implies they would buy it out probably.

Why do I have the slight belief they might buy it out? Because they want it that bad back then.

See, there was a factor that because George couldn't, Perez was signed in 2020 for the 2021 drive. Back then it was a one year contract for him and why only one year? Imo, it's because they want to try again to poach George in 2021 for 2022.

And yes, i do think i'm spot on? With Perez's one year contract and George is actively approached by RBR in 2021

(there's a lot more than this. Including Helmut repeatedly talking, defending George in Imola '21, CHorner talking with George post Imola 21 then congratulating him in Zandvoort, etc but let's use this as an example)

And the other proof for my speculation is when Helmut says this in 2020.

"We were looking for an interim solution for a year"

This was 2020. I do think RBR backed off a bit after knowing the 10 year contract saga between Toto and George but in 2021, i do think they still have slight hope in George joining them for 2022. It was a bit of a hot topic because you got Max saying this himself in 2021

So yeah. That's that to the saga between RBR and George.

Do I think they lost interest now though? 🫢🙂‍↔️ Someone has been keeping a track on when his contract ends. And they still talk about him these days. Recently? In a positive light.

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Timeline of George's 2021 silly season (Pre British GP-announcement)

Pre-British GP - Helmut Marko said this

A day after Helmut Marko said this, he also said that it's faux pas for Mercedes to let George go

A day afterwards, Christian Horner told Mercedes to give George a go

Later in August, Guenther implied that George is in the market but Mercedes' market and said that Mercedes knew what they are doing with George.

So these three individuals sorta implied that George can't move anywhere except Mercedes

British GP - F1 releases press materials to the press saying the signing of George will be announced, retracts that statement suddenly afterwards, (in DTS) shows a very stressed looking George talking with his PR officer saying that the statement was retracted, George responds to Helmut's RBR offer suddenly, Toto's "if george is talking with a red bull, i'll be sitting on that table"

Pre Hungary GP - retracts his statement saying he's only loyal to Mercedes

Belgium GP - George P2, Scenes of Ola looking shocked at George's quali, Britta Seeger (BoM of Marketing) and Ola (Mercedes Benz CEO) in attendance of the race, Ola speaking out they'll announce (Valtteri and George) when the time is right

Ref

Netherlands GP - Christian Horner leaking the signing in an interview of George with Jenson (weirdly and suddenly approaching George in the middle of filming), DTS filming, dinner with Fred Vasseur and Toto

Post Netherlands GP - Announcement

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Timeline of George Russell to Mercedes

2014: His manager got a hand of Toto's e-mail, gave it to George, he sent his CV to Toto after winning British F4. Toto answered several weeks later, they met up alongside other racing executives in Mercedes, George came there alone and presented his CV to Toto. Toto invited him to join the junior programme but could only offer him a seat at Mücke Motorsport (based in Germany which could mean him moving to Germany) due to Mercedes limited seat connection (wants to put George on PREMA but is a Stroll focused team). George rejected the offer but Toto and George kept in contact for the future. He joins Carlin Volkswagen, a british team (currently Rodin Motorspot)

2015: George enters F3 European with Carlin Volkswagen. Finishes 6th. Due to financial problems, he was driven to the edge because he could no longer continue Formula careers with his own funding. As a back up, he tested for BMW in DTM series. He tops the testing, beating Mercedes and Audi's time (even beating BMW's drivers) and BMW offered him a $$$,$$$ contract. At the same time, he was already an unofficial test driver for BMW.

Mercedes heard of this through an ex-BMW employee who moved to Mercedes and Gwen Lagrue contacts George for the second time (For reference, Gwen Lagrue. Not Toto. Gwen Lagrue has known George since karting and helped him to get a seat in Eurocup Formula Renault while Gwen was at Lotus, but couldn't bring George to Lotus Junior Academy due to financial problems). Mercedes met up with him and explains if George picks BMW, Mercedes will close their door on George and he will no longer be their option.

George and Gwen sat down, agreed on one-year testing period in which George will do sims for Mercedes and they will see his performance on and off track before accepting him as a junior driver. In 2016, he became an unofficial Mercedes Junior Driver and signed up with HiTech GP, a Mercedes powered team for his second season in F3 European, leaving Carlin Volkswagen (because it's powered by VW and Merc don't want that). George finishes 3rd in a completely new team and behind two PREMAs.

2017: George was officially signed as a Mercedes Junior Driver. He got his first F1 test at Budapest 2017 and he joined ART Grand Prix for his GP3 and F2 stint.

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2020/2021 silly season WAR flashback

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I call it ✨patterns✨

British GP '21 & Monaco GP '24

2 races later

Spa '21 & Spain '24

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Remember this post of George in 2020?

That started a whole whirlpool of shit and speculation of him going to Ferrari to replace Seb or McLaren (and SOME actually supported him too) 💀💀💀

This was when George was asked about that tweet and if he had sent it out 👀👀 The nervous giggle oh my lord...

This whole live is filled with shady secretive contract talks that they always avoid 🙊 Williams and Mercedes really put a gag on him

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