Mercedes’ George Russell finished P3 in the Australian GP on Sunday, navigating through the treacherous conditions on track.
The key to nab the podium spot for George Russell in F1 Australian GP
For Mercedes’ George Russell, staying out of trouble was the key thing to him getting the podium. Just by being consistent and not making any huge mistakes or gambles were enough to secure the third spot on the podium.
“Yeah, I think just staying out of trouble, to be honest. It was pretty clear from the beginning that these guys [Norris and Verstappen] were too quick for us, and we were quicker than Ferrari. So, I was kind of in no man’s land.
“I made a decision quite early on that the best way to approach this race was just to bring it home. If I risked it more, there was no extra reward on the table because they were just so far ahead. Very difficult. As Lando said, any small mistake and you’d be punished.
“But pleased to come home with this result because I don’t think this is probably our strongest circuit. Especially after yesterday with the hot temperatures, I was also very happy with the P4 in quali.”
Key to the timing: How Mercedes were able to get the timing right for the pit stop
According to George Russell, proper communication was vital, and how he felt it was the key to getting the call right for Mercedes.
The Briton’s feeling on track was what made the call stick when it was time to return to inters off the hard tyres once the rain arrived again on lap 44.
“The process started this morning, to be honest. We had some really good conversations about how we were going to make these decisions, what they needed from me, what I needed from them. I knew the rain would be getting heavier, so it was down to me to make that decision.
“Similar to Lando, I made the call five seconds in advance, and the guys were ready to change the tyres. That was a key moment in the race. I’m really happy about it because these mixed-condition races—for both of us, to be honest—they’ve gone away from us in the last couple of races.“
He made a comparison to the Brazilian and Canadian GP where they weren’t able to capitalise on the situation on track and lost places. The Brit was leading in Brazil when extremely heavy rain fell, leading to a red flag not long after he stopped. Russell had warned the team not to pit over the radio as he was expecting it.
“When we look at Brazil last year, we both got it wrong with strategy. Also in Montreal, it kind of went away from us as well. I think now, just to be here, is a good result.”
