Russell had a promising start from the eighth position and attempted to overtake the troubled Piastri going downhill from La Source. Piastri, the Australian driver, had compromised his vehicle in a tight squeeze between Carlos Sainz’s Ferrari and the internal barrier.
Russell tried to follow Lando Norris on Piastri’s left, but a blocked route forced him to relent.
Subsequently, Fernando Alonso, Yuki Tsunoda, and Lance Stroll overtook him into Eau Rouge, with Alex Albon gaining traction and surpassing him at the straight’s end.
After slipping to the 11th spot, Russell opted for a long initial run with a single stop, eventually climbing back up to sixth.
Reflecting on the unfortunate early setback, Russell told F1 Flow.com, “When Oscar faced his mishap, I chose to go left, but failed to anticipate his turn. I got cornered and gave up four or five places at the start. That essentially set the tone for my race. If not for that, we could have secured P5. I like to believe I could have challenged Lewis [Hamilton] and Charles [Leclerc] for the podium.”
George Russell, Mercedes F1 W14, Lance Stroll, Aston Martin AMR23
Photo by: Michael Potts / F1 Flow Images
He continued: “The one-stop strategy was quite competitive around here. I felt particularly strong on the soft tyre during the last stint. It’s been an extremely challenging weekend. I’m relieved it’s over. Now it’s time for a reset, and to go again.”
Russell conceded that his lengthy first stint proved challenging, particularly when rain began to fall and he was racing on worn-out tyres.
He shared, “Things got really tricky when the rain began to pour. Had we known the rainfall’s intensity, we would have switched to the soft tyre, which would have made a massive difference under such challenging conditions.
“But overall, it was a competitive race. Both races helped us widen the gap to P3 in the championship. However, we remain focused on Red Bull and aim to close that gap.”
Read Also:
10 insights from the 2023 F1 Belgian Grand Prix
Belgian Grand Prix Driver Rankings 2023
Red Bull’s take on Verstappen’s late Spa GP soft tyre strategy
Szafnauer’s optimism for the future of Alpine F1 team
Russell surprisingly noted that he expected McLaren to have a speedier performance at Spa and thought Ferrari would be less competitive.
He commented, “McLaren didn’t perform as well as I anticipated in this race. Charles’s speed was a surprise to us; we hadn’t expected them to be that fast.
“But as I’ve mentioned, we’re in a solid position in the teams’ championship. It seems pretty secure for now. Our focus remains on clinching a race victory this year.”
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) about George Russell’s Belgian F1 GP
What position did Russell start in at the Belgian GP?
Russell started from the eighth position at the Belgian GP.
Who did Russell try to overtake going downhill from La Source?
Russell tried to overtake Oscar Piastri, who was having car troubles after getting squeezed between a Ferrari and the internal barrier.
What strategy did Russell use during the Belgian GP?
Russell opted for a long initial stint with a single pit stop during the Belgian GP.
What position did Russell finish in at the Belgian GP?
Russell managed to recover to the sixth position by the end of the Belgian GP.
Which teams did Russell mention when discussing the race’s performance?
Russell mentioned McLaren and Ferrari when discussing his competitors’ performance at the Belgian GP.
What was Russell’s perspective on the challenging weather conditions during the race?
Russell found the onset of rain tricky, particularly as he was racing on older tyres. He suggested that if they had known about the intensity of the rain, they would have switched to the soft tyre.
More about George Russell’s Belgian F1 GP
- F1 Belgian GP 2023 Full Race Report
- George Russell’s Race Performance
- F1 Teams’ Championship Standings
- Understanding F1 Race Strategies
6 comments
am i the only one that thinks the rain is what makes these races really exciting? just me? ok..
Russel got stuck behind Piastri, imagine if that hadn’t happened. He could’ve been fighting for the top spots. Bad luck there, but well driven George!
Man, Russell really got the raw end of the stick here. Would have loved to see him on the podium. Next time maybe.
Not so good for us McLaren fans 🙁 Better luck next time guys, we believe in you!
those soft tyres in the rain, they always make things so interesting! Russell handled it pretty well considering.
Unpredictable weather, risky strategies, high-speed chases… F1 never fails to deliver! Awesome performance by Russell despite the setback.