Hidde Korte is an editor at GPblog, specializing in Formula 1 news. With a background in journalism and a strong passion for the sport, he delivers timely and reliable coverage of the pinnacle of motorsport.
George Russell finished fourth in the Grand Prix. The most notable moment of the British driver's race came after his first pit stop. As he tried to leave the pit lane, he spun and ended up facing the wrong way.
Isack Hadjar just managed to avoid Russell, preventing a crash. After the race, Russell discussed the incident with the media in attendance.
"Not really too sure what happened," Russell said. "I went quite high risk because I smelled an opportunity and, you know, paid the price. You know, it's in those moments where you either gain a lot or you lose a lot. This time it went against us."
"Ironically, because of that, I didn't pit and kind of brought myself back into the race. Though it showed really strong pace on the softs. I'd say on the soft tyre, we had the fastest race pace and it's been quite a while since I've had the fastest race pace. So I would take the positives of that," Russell explained.
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Russell praises Mercedes after the Brazilian Grand Prix
Photo: Race Pictures
Russell was pleased with the strategy his team had chosen, having been the first to make the correct call and return to the inters when the rain arrived late on.
"The team did a great job there, and I think it just highlights the challenges of the sport. You know, yesterday, we got it wrong. Today, they called it perfectly, and other drivers got it wrong. You know, that's just got how it goes, and it is always highlighted more when it goes wrong than when it goes right."
After his final pit stop, Russell complained repeatedly about possible problems with his Mercedes, but he does not know what caused them.
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"We don't know. We really don't know," he said. "I was quite excited when the rain was coming, but then Kimi and I had absolutely no pace. So we need to understand why that was.
"Maybe a small theory could be with [being] the first onto the inters, even just on that out lap, on the driest track, you damage the tires and temps go up and you're in this negative spiral. As of now, that's the only explanation," Russell concluded.
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