George Russell was left to rue a costly mistake which prevented him from securing a podium finish at the Monaco Grand Prix. The Williams driver had looked set to claim third place following a slow pit stop for Esteban Ocon and a late switch to intermediate tyres for Carlos Sainz. However, Russell’s hopes were dashed after he was distracted by a yellow flag and joined the lapped Lance Stroll on the Mirabeau escape road. The error allowed Ocon and Lewis Hamilton to pass him, and as he rejoined the track, he was hit by Sergio Perez, resulting in a five-second penalty for an unsafe rejoin.
Speaking after the race, Russell admitted that he was disappointed with his performance. “I’m really kicking myself because P3 was almost guaranteed,” he said. “There was a yellow flag, I backed off and as soon as I touched the brakes I locked up and followed Stroll up the escape road. That’s probably a lesson that actually when you’re not on it and you’re not focused, you make those mistakes.”
Despite the setback, Russell attempted to make up lost ground and suggested to his team that he should be allowed to pass Hamilton to protect his buffer to Charles Leclerc. “I definitely damaged the car a bit. I wasn’t sure I was going to be able to continue but it kind of sorted itself out as the laps progressed,” he said. “I was being held up by Ocon and Lewis, and Charles was closing me down. I was definitely not going to risk anything on Lewis in conditions like this. But with that five-second penalty it could have been a good buffer if Charles had caught up.”
In the end, Russell finished the race in fifth place, ten seconds ahead of Leclerc. While he acknowledged that he had done well for most of the race, he was frustrated that a single mistake had cost him the chance to finish on the podium. “It’s a bitterly disappointing when you do everything right for 98% of it, but that one tiny mistake costs everything,” he said.
Russell’s performance in Monaco was a stark contrast to his previous outings with Williams, where he has typically struggled to make an impact due to the team’s lack of competitiveness. However, the young driver has long been touted as a rising star in the sport, and his showing in Monaco has only served to reinforce that reputation.
Despite his disappointment, Russell can take heart from the fact that he has demonstrated his ability to compete with the best drivers in the world. With more races to come this season, he will be hoping to build on his performance in Monaco and secure his first podium finish in Formula 1.
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