Williams is in "no rush" to take a decision on who will fill its second Formula 1 seat for the 2019 season, but has drawn up a "short shortlist" of candid𒀰ates to partner George Russell next year, according t🌃o deputy team boss Claire Williams.

Williams announced earlier this month it had signed Mercedes junior and current Formula 2 championship leader Russell for 2019, acting as a break with its recent approach of signing two drivers with siz🎃eable financial backing.

Russell is expected to take the seat of Lance Stroll, who is due to move up to Force India for 2019 following his father's takeover of the🃏 team over the summer, while Williams' other driver, Sergey Sirotkin, is working on retaining his seat for a second year.

Other candidates for the seat include Fo🌌rmula 2 racer Aꦇrtem Markelov, current team reserve Robert Kubica and Force India's Esteban Ocon, but Williams is happy to take her time before making a final decision.

"I’m not in any rush to do that. We have a short shortlist which we are working through at the moment, and as much as it was important securing a driver with♛ talent for ဣthe first seat, it will be for the second seat as well," Williams told wuqian0821.com in Austin.

"We have options. We just need to make sure that we secure the best driver that we possibly can based on the crite🦂ria that we set ourselves for that seat."

Asked about a possible shortfall in income by opting against signing two drivers bringing financial backing to the team in 2019, Will🌳iams stressed the team had already made this up, allowing it to take the decision to sign Russell and also consider a driver such as Ocon, who would also not arrive with any financial aid.

"We’ve already made up that shortfall, and that was why we were able ⛄to secure George,ꦜ" Williams said.

"That’s not the second driver’s respo꧒nsibility to secure any fin🐎ance that enabled us to have George in the first seat."