George Russell won the Sprint race in Zandvoort, but acknowledged that the result could have been very different if the rain had arrived a little earlier. The Mercedes driver said he was relieved to see the track start to get wet only at the end of the race.
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Russell led all 24 laps and secured eight points in the championship, maintaining control of the race until the checkered flag. However, drivers were warned about the possibility of rain in the final moments, creating a risky scenario for those still fighting for positions.
“A great start to the weekend. If there had been one more lap, it could have been a very different finish to the race, so I was happy the rain came when it did,” Russell said.
While the British driver managed the lead, Charles Leclerc gained positions on soft tires and finished second. The pace shown by Ferrari raised Russell’s expectations for a close fight for pole position.
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“The Ferraris look very fast, so it’s going to be a tight battle this afternoon,” Russell continued referring to the qualifying session for the Dutch Grand Prix. He explained that he expected overtakes only in the final part, and therefore preferred to preserve the tires in high-speed corners to have a greater performance margin at the end.
The Brit also revealed that he increased the pace after noticing Leclerc behind Lando Norris: “I knew that if Charles passed Lando, he would be quick. As soon as I saw Charles behind, I pushed a bit harder and we both pulled away,” he concluded.
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