George Russell issues sad apology to Mercedes after Canadian Grand Prix disaster

George Russell joins Lewis Hamilton at Mercedes in 2021

George Russell issued an apology to Mercedes after a driver error prevented the team from securing a double points finish. The Silver Arrows driver damaged his car after smashing into the kerb on the entrance of turn nine.

The sausage kerb elevated the W14 throwing Russel’’s rear end into the concrete wall on the outside of the corner. The incident littered debris over the circuit with race stewards immediately deploying a safety car.

However, Russell managed to limp home to the pits for repairs before embarking on a  spectacular comeback drive. The ex-Williams driver bounced back from P19 to work his way back inside the top 10 but Mercedes chiefs soon called him in to retire the car. 

In the closing stages, Russell’s race engineer said: “We think we’re going to have to retire the car. Brake wear is too high.”

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Russell immediately obeyed commands to slow the car as he eased his pace into the hairpin before peeling into the pits. Russell quickly replied: “I’m so sorry everyone. Nothing more to say. Sorry.”

After the chequered flag Russell added: “I just went a bit deep into the right hander and then through the left I just touched the kerb. I clearly hit it with the bottom of the car and next thing I knew I was up in the air. When I landed I lost the rear and I was in the wall.

“Yeah, kicking myself as such a small error with big consequences and that’s how it is on circuits like this but not good enough from my side.”

“Did a good job to get back into the mix. Obviously I had a bit of an issue with the brakes and it all stemmed from my mistake. So sorry for the team.

The car was working well, we weren’t expecting to be competitive here but yet we put up a fight so looking good for the future but disappointed in today.”

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Russell’s team-mate Lewis Hamilton finished P3 after losing out in a dramatic battle with Fernando Alonso. Hamilton passed the Spaniard at the start of the race and held on after the first pit stops. 

However, the Aston Martin star cruised past soon after and held off Hamilton’s late surge to take P2. The seven-time champion was pleased with the result but stressed there was still more in the pipeline.

Hamilton remarked: “We are on the right track. We have just got to add a lot more performance in the low speed. I’m forever grateful for everyone back in the factory. We have just got to keep churning away and I will try to keep pulling out these results. We have to beat the Astons that’s for sure.”

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