Even out of the Formula 1 championship lead after three races, George Russell states that he doesn’t feel extra pressure for having started the season as a title favorite. The Briton was surpassed by his Mercedes teammate, Kimi Antonelli, in the China and Japan rounds, results that put the Italian at the top of the standings with a nine-point advantage.
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Russell started the year with a victory in Australia, but faced setbacks in the subsequent races. In China, he encountered problems in qualifying, while in Japan he was hampered by an ill-timed safety car — factors that, according to him, directly impacted his results. Analyzing his performance, the driver believes he did the best possible under the circumstances: “I’m not leading the championship, but, to be honest, when I look at the circumstances of the last two races, I feel I maximized my results, and that’s all I can do.”
He also points out that he could have achieved better results: “If things had gone a little differently in Suzuka, I think I could have won that race. If there had been no safety car at all, I think I would have finished second in that race, behind Piastri. In China, I had the problem in qualifying and, otherwise, I think I could have been on pole there.”
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Despite the frustration, Russell maintains confidence throughout the season: “No, not at all, to be honest. It’s a very long season and no championship has been won after three races. For me, it’s always important to maximize the results.”
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