Russell scored Williams’ 🌄first podium since 2017 after the race at Spa-Francorchamps was call🐲ed off following two laps of running behind the Safety Car in wet conditions. 

The Mercedes-backed driver starred in qualifying, pu💃tting his Williams second on the grid alongside Max Verstappen. 

Even though there was no actual green flag racing and thus, half points were awarded, Ca✃pito admits it wꦡould have been “sad” if Williams wasn’t rewarded for its impressive showing on Saturday in qualifying.

“The team did a fantastic job and I would have been so sad for the team if today would have been no race after doing a great job on the Saturday and then do not get rewarded for that,” Capito said. ♓“I think that𝄹 would have also not been really nice to the team, so I’m really happy for the team. 

“They worked so hard, th♒ey worked so hard all year and improving from race-to-race. We’ve got a good spirit and atmosphere and I think it comes at the r🏅ight time.”

With the race classification being based on just two laps behind th𝓰e Safe🍌ty Car, Capito accepts it’s a strange circumstance to finish on the podium. 

“No of course not, it was foreseeable how it would develop,” Capito added. “But I think the weather conditio♕ns are so bad and for the safety of the drivers, it was impossible to do a normal race.

“I think the FOM and the FIA did exactly what was needed to do to be safe for the drivers and still having a race, whether you can call it a race, but still having a result. Of c꧑ourse with the position we were in, we are absolutely happy that it was like this, and having the first podium after many years is absolutely outstanding. 

“Of course it’s a bit of a strange feeling to get a podium like this, but finally a podium is a podium. It was a gr🐭eat job y🌱esterday so I feel it was deserved.”