Georges Russell unsatisfied with his season: “I certainly missed some opportunities”
After a somewhat disappointing first half of the season compared to his brilliant 2022, George Russell remains determined and believes that Mercedes can win a Grand Prix this year.
It is a complicated season that George Russell is going through. The British driver has only been on the podium once in 2023. It was in Spain, where his older teammate Lewis Hamilton finished ahead of him in second place behind the untouchable Verstappen. Mercedes has managed to establish themselves as the second team in the constructors’ standings, but they are primarily carried by Hamilton, who is currently in fourth place in the drivers’ championship, just behind Fernando Alonso.
Difficulties of which the former Williams driver is fully aware, he who sums up his first part of the season « in two stages ». « During the first six races, I was very satisfied with my personal performances, I was really strong. After that, I certainly missed some opportunities. »
« We followed a certain approach in terms of settings, and this weekend confirmed that it wasn’t the right one », the 25-year-old driver adds, referring to the last GP held in Belgium where Mercedes didn’t make it to the podium, with Hamilton finishing 4th and Russell 6th.
Mercedes, winners in 2023?
Nevertheless, the one who finished 4th in last year’s world championship, with his first victory at Interlagos by the way, remains determined and believes in the chances of the Mercedes W14 to achieve a victory. « We can turn the situation around in the second half of the year. […] We want to win a race this year, and we continue to push like crazy to achieve it. »
First answers will come on August 27th in Zandvoort (Netherlands), a circuit that has been dominated by Max Verstappen for the past two years, but where George Russell had achieved a great performance last year. Starting in 6th position, he finished the race in second place.
