Russell gutted over "stupid mistake" behind safety car
Williams Formula 1 driver George Russell says crashing out of the Emilia Romagna GP while running behind the safety car was "gutting."
Russell had been running on the fringes of the points when the safety car was dispatched after Max Verstappen spun out of second place when his Red Bull suffered a rear tyre failure.
Russell was the first car in the queue behind the safety car and was trying to warm his tyres when he lost control and slammed hard into the wall.
Before alighting from the car he apologised to the team, and soon after returning to the paddock he posted a Twitter message, saying: "I don't know what to say. No excuses. I'm so sorry guys."
The retirement means that Russell has now made 34 starts in F1 without making the top 10.
"I don't know," he said when asked what he had to score a point. "I mean, not make stupid mistakes like I did today.
"It was a race that I was pushing as hard as I could from lap one until then, the most aggressive I've ever been.
"And I wanted to continue that under the safety car because I knew that with the guys behind me on the hot new tyres, myself on the old tyres, if I had any chance of getting a point, I needed to be super aggressive.
"And obviously, as soon as I lost the car, I was already in the wall, and it's just gutting. Obviously really sorry to all the guys."
Asked if there were any positives from the say he said he was pleased with his aggressive performance.
"I mean, the positives are we were in that position on merit," he said. "I managed to jump [Esteban] Ocon, and pulled away from him. In the early phase of the race, I was at the same pace as McLarens ahead of me. The car was alive this weekend, and it was really, really fast.
"It will come I think we're understanding it better and better, week-in, week-out. My first laps have been poor, and I made probably quite a bold, aggressive move on Sebastian [Vettel] in the first corner, which is something we've been wanting to work on.
"And like I say, I feel like maybe sometimes I've been a bit too conservative in the races. And I definitely found the limit today."
Related video
Previous article
Perez says costly final pitstop "didn't make sense"
Next article
Kvyat says "brave racing" key to fourth place at Imola
About this article
| Series | Formula 1 |
| Event | Emilia-Romagna GP |
| Drivers | George Russell |
| Author | Adam Cooper |
Sebastian Vettel explains why Aston Martin
Aston Martin AMR21 Unveiling
How Ferrari plans to recover from its 2020 F1 nightmare
The 2020 Formula 1 season was Ferrari's worst for 40 years as it slumped to sixth in the standings. A repeat performance will not be acceptable for the proud Italian team, which has adopted a notably pragmatic approach to forging its path back to the top
Why Aston Martin’s arrival is more than just new green livery
In the most eagerly anticipated Formula 1 team launch of the season, the rebranded Aston Martin squad’s changes go much further than the striking paint job. But rather than a restart, the team hopes to build on top of solid foundations.
The car Aston Martin begins its new F1 journey with
The team formerly known as Racing Point gambled successfully on a Mercedes look-alike in 2020 as it mounted a strong challenge for third in the constructors' race and won the Sakhir GP. Now clothed in British racing green, Aston Martin's first Formula 1 challenger since 1960 provides the clearest indicator yet of what to expect from the new-for-2021 regulations
The tricky driver conundrums facing Mercedes in F1 2021
Ahead of the new Formula 1 season, reigning world champions Mercedes will take on challenges both old and new. This also can be said for its driver conundrum which could become key to sustaining its ongoing success...
How Alpine's cure to 2021 F1 rules starts at the front
A new name, new faces and new colours pulls the rebranded Alpine Formula 1 team into a new era while carrying over core elements of its 2020 car. But under the surface there's more than meets the eye with the A521 which hints at how the team will tackle 2021...
Can Mercedes' W12 retain the team's crown?
Replacing Formula 1's fastest car was never going to be an easy feat for Mercedes. Amid the technical rule tweaks to peg back the W12 and its 2021 rivals, the new Mercedes challenger will remain the target to beat
The pointed note that starts Ferrari's Leclerc vs Sainz era
Ferrari is starting its post-Sebastian Vettel age by welcoming Carlos Sainz in alongside Charles Leclerc. But while Sainz has a tough challenge to match his new teammate, Ferrari is also sending a message that previous intra-team spats must end
The mantra Ocon must follow to challenge Alonso at Alpine
OPINION: It's been an uneasy ride for Esteban Ocon since his F1 comeback - and fresh challenges lie in wait as he's joined by double world champion Fernando Alonso in the newly rebranded Alpine team. STUART CODLING sets out a roadmap to success…
