“We had a really strange middle stint”: George Russell baffled by variance of his Mercedes’ performance in the US F1 Grand Prix

In a rollercoaster of a race at the American Grand Prix, George Russell found himself grappling with a perplexing middle stint that left him trailing behind his Mercedes teammate, Lewis Hamilton.

The British driver, clearly vexed by the outcome, emphasized the need for a thorough evaluation of his 2023 campaign, which has seen a consistent trend of missed opportunities.

Throughout the weekend in Austin, it was Lewis Hamilton who once again took the lead as the swifter of the Mercedes duo. The gap between the two drivers remained notably wide, with only the seven-time World Champion able to mount a challenge against the formidable Red Bull and Max Verstappen.

Addressing the media post-race, Russell shed light on the middle stint that proved to be a crucial turning point in the race.

He revealed:

"I think we had a really strange middle stint on the hard tyre. We were about a second off the pace, but in the last stint, we were the quickest car on track."

---

George Russell compares his current season to 2022

Russell's determination was evident as he recounted the closing stages of the race, where he managed to narrow the gap to Max Verstappen by 10 seconds and Lewis Hamilton by a couple of seconds.

The 25-year-old said:

“We closed the gap to Max by about 10 seconds, Lewis by a couple of seconds. Standing here now, a little bit frustrated about the missed opportunity.”

Yet, the elusive victory slipped through his fingers once more, leaving him standing in the TV pen, lamenting yet another missed opportunity, something that has been the case throughout the season for Russell.

He added:

“I feel like every time I stand in this TV pen, I’m saying it was a missed opportunity."

Comparing this season to the previous one, the Mercedes driver couldn't help but draw a stark contrast.

George Russell reflected:

"Whereas last year, I think out of 22 or 23 races, there was only one race where I was saying we missed an opportunity."

The frustration stemming from this recurrent narrative is apparent, leaving George Russell with a pressing need to dissect the underlying factors contributing to this pattern.

The Briton was unequivocal in asserting that the issue at hand is not one of lacking pace or performance.

He stated:

“Really need to have a think about what’s going on, because it’s not for a lack of pace and performance.”

As the 2023 F1 season unfolds, Mercedes enthusiasts would hope for George Russell to remain determined in unlocking the key to his performance puzzle.