George Russell proud of his strategic move: “We rolled the dice”

The 2024 Belgian Grand Prix was exciting until the end. The only driver among the leaders to have dared the one-stop strategy on the Spa-Francorchamps track, George Russell had to resist pressure from his teammate in the final laps Lewis Hamilton and upon returning from McLaren byOscar piastri. The first named managed, despite his worn tires, to keep his rivals behind him and it is in this order that the three men crossed the finish line in a pocket handkerchief.

" It's incredible, smiled George Russell after the finish. Our strategy meeting this morning gave us hope, the tires behaved well. I was able to swing a save and the strategists did a really good job. Lewis too, because he controlled the start of this race perfectly. Under different circumstances, he might have gotten the win today. The double is an incredible result. It’s a great way to approach the summer break. »

A tactical bet of which the native of King's Lynn (England) recounted the genesis. “I was very focused on the race, I listened to the radio feedback, Russell explained when Günther Steiner, responsible for the post-race interview, asked him who made the decision to switch to a single stop. It’s a collective effort, teamwork. We rolled the dice, but it was also possible thanks to the level of competitiveness of the car. »

Mercedes ends this first part of the season in a cannonball with three victories in the last four Grands Prix since Russell had already won in Austria, followed by Hamilton in Great Britain. “ I would like there to be another race next weekend, exclaims the winner of the day. It’s such a great feeling, the team works really hard. This is so well deserved for everyone in Brackley and Brixworth. » Where you can go on vacation with a smile on your face before thinking about Zandvoort, the next meeting of the season. Formula 1, August 25.

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