During the race, Russell inquired via the radio if Hamilton would relinquish the position to him at the conclusion, but his appeal was rejected. George Russell has affirmed that he will not “mope” after surrendering sixth place to his teammate Lewis Hamilton at Imola due to a strategic decision made by Mercedes. Despite leading for a significant portion of the race, Russell ultimately finished in seventh place behind Hamilton. The team opted to pit Russell for a second time due to concerns about the durability of his tires until the end. This cautious approach ensured that he completed the race and also earned an additional point for Mercedes by securing the fastest lap on fresh tires. During the race, Russell requested over the radio if Hamilton would surrender the position to him at the end, but his request was denied. Nevertheless, the 26-year-old appeared unaffected by the outcome. “You will never be content with a P6 and a P7. Ultimately, as a team, we obtained an extra point. I lost my position to Lewis. However, I will not dwell on losing a P6,” Russell stated. Reflecting on their current position, he added, “This is our current situation. We find ourselves somewhat in no-man’s land, trailing behind the Ferraris and McLarens, but ahead of the midfield.” Despite this, Russell highlighted the positive mindset within Mercedes, a team accustomed to frequent triumphs. “To be honest, everyone remains highly motivated. Morale is not diminishing, which is truly inspiring to witness. Everyone is striving to make this work and improve it. The personnel in Brackley and Brixworth are currently exerting maximum effort. It is fantastic to see. We must continue to push. This weekend, we maximized our performance. The car had the potential for P6 and P7. That is where we qualified and ultimately finished.” Hamilton, who finished 35 seconds behind race-winner Max Verstappen, echoed Russell’s sentiments regarding Mercedes’ current predicament. “We obtained points, which is a positive outcome. We find ourselves in the middle of no man’s land, but it is a strong finish overall for us. I do not believe there was much more we could have achieved,” stated the seven-time F1 champion. He downplayed the notion that he is grappling with the current circumstances, adding, “I do not consider it particularly challenging – it is simply where we find ourselves. Therefore, we must give our best effort. And that is precisely what we did.”
Charles Leclerc (MON) of Ferrari and Lewis Hamilton (GBR) of Mercedes AMG F1 are seen on the drivers' parade during the Monaco Grand Prix, Race Day on May...
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