F1 | Claire Williams goes unbalanced: “We are doing everything we can to secure Ocon”

There are no longer any doubts: from a 2019 perspective, Williams' number one target has become Esteban Ocon. The Grove team, after having formalized the hiring of George Russell in recent days, is essentially evaluating three profiles for the role of second driver: Sergey Sirotkin, Robert Kubica (who seems to have found a major sponsor ready to assist him) and, indeed, the French driver leaving Force India.

The latest statements released by the deputy team principal Claire Williams, however, have clarified the direction that the British team would generally like to follow: “Having someone with Esteban's talent, if only for a season, is something I'm open to” – he told the French Auto Hebdo.

However, there are some economic obstacles to overcome: “We signed George because then we could sign a multi-season deal that would allow us to build for the future” – explained Williams. “We worked hard for six months to ensure that our 2019 budget allowed us to hire pilots based on merit. For the second seat we don't have the same room for maneuver: we would like to proceed as we did for the first driver, but the road is more difficult. We are working hard to ensure that Esteban stays in Formula 1 next year by coming to us - we are doing everything we can.".