George Russell was disappointed after failing to convert his pole position into a victory at the Canadian Grand Prix. He showed promising speed throughout the weekend and even secured the team’s first pole position of the season. However, Russell was unable to capitalize on this and secure a win on Sunday. Now, the British driver has expressed his emotions after achieving his first podium of the season.
Russell believed the race presented a missed opportunity for Mercedes to secure their first Formula 1 victory since the 2022 Brazilian Grand Prix. He stated that he had great speed early in the race with the intermediate tires. However, he admitted that his competitors were simply too fast this weekend.
Furthermore, George Russell admitted to making some mistakes during the race. He acknowledged that he had to face the consequences of these errors. As a result, the 26-year-old driver was unable to keep up with the pace of his rivals, including Lando Norris, towards the end of the race.
Mercedes has had a disappointing season so far. In fact, Russell described it as the worst start to his Formula 1 career. However, the Canadian Grand Prix showed that the team may finally have the speed to compete at the front of the grid.
George Russell believed that the Brackley team finally had a fast car. He stated that Mercedes is now in contention with Red Bull and McLaren for race wins. Russell emphasized that achieving such results is the ultimate goal for drivers at the pinnacle of motorsport.
Indisputably, Russell will be highly motivated after this result in Montreal. He hopes that Mercedes can maintain this momentum throughout the remainder of the season. With 15 races remaining in the 2024 season, the Silver Arrows have enough time to potentially challenge the championship leaders.