Russell turned down Force India practice to focus on F2 title

George Russell turned down the opportunity to drive for Force India in FP1 at Monza in favour of focusing on his F2 title challenge. The Brit said he was meant to be behind the wheel of the Force India but chose not to drive instead focusing on his championship battle with McLaren-bound Lando Norris.

Russell currently leads the F2 championship from Norris by five points, a gap that has fluctuated greatly as the championship comes to a close in just four races time.

“I was meant to be driving in FP1 for Racing Point Force India,” Russell told Autosport.

“In this tense title battle at the moment, we preferred to put more focus on F2 really.

“We did FP1 with Force India in Abu Dhabi last year and still put it on pole afterwards, I don’t think it would have affected me too much.

“You can get so caught up in the F1 dream that you forget what your priorities are. Formula 2 is my priority. I don’t know if we’ll do another FP1 later in the season or not, but nevertheless I think Mercedes have my best interests at heart.

“I have full confidence they are doing everything in their means to secure my future in F1.”

Russell looks like he will be on the sidelines for another season with no drives available in F1 just yet, a problem fellow Mercedes junior driver Esteban Ocon is also ruing.

Should Russell win the F2 title he will be unable to compete in the championship in 2019 by virtue of having won the championship.

Mercedes boss Toto Wolff said that the decision to focus on the F2 championship bid was "sensible".

“That was his call actually,” said Wolff. “He thought doing FP1 once in an F1 car was quite a distraction.

“I think it is a sensible call not to be too distracted from the limelight of F1 and would rather concentrate on the current job and this is F2.”