Russell using Williams' points cushion to "push the limits"
George Russell says his Williams Formula 1 team’s comfortable eighth place in the world championship has allowed him to push to the limits in recent races.


After his second place in the Belgian GP moved Williams well ahead of Alfa Romeo in the points table, Russell suggested that he would no longer be wary of taking risks and losing potential scoring opportunities.
He’s now confirmed that the cushion has given him the confidence to try different things, especially on first laps.
At the start in Austin last weekend he jumped from last spot on the grid to 14th place.
"I think the pressure has been sort of lifted off my shoulders for a while now for these first laps," he said. "And I have more confidence to really attack it and go for it. And P20 to P14 was a strong start for me.
"And I think, in this position now, where we are in the championship, we've got this small buffer it's allowing me to go out there and really push the limits.
"I'm quite enjoying it to be honest. I'm not a driver who usually makes huge amount of mistakes. But I've wanted to push myself out there, and we saw an off in FP3, we saw a little off in qualifying in Zandvoort.
"And I'm just trying to really push the limit just to see if there is more in there in these last few races. But I think I've been sort of reaffirming my strategy of you don't need to be driving 110% to get the most out of the car, sometimes you only go slower."
He added that his confirmation at Mercedes for 2022 has also put him in a stronger position.
"Just less pressure, I think the fact that we are in a position of relative comfort in the constructors' championship, and also on a personal level everything was confirmed for next year. I'm in a very stable position personally, and just able to go out there and try new things and not afraid to make some mistakes.
"It's a similar position to one I found myself in 2019 when I can go out there and just try new things and keep trying to build that toolbox to improve, and like I said, being in a position where I'm not scared to make mistakes.”
Despite his strong start in the US GP Russell could not better 14th place by the flag, admitting that the venue had not suited the car.
"Just this weekend we struggled for pace. It's a very strange circuit I felt, there wasn't much adhesive grip from from the tarmac, and I think all the drivers were sliding around a lot, and we just didn't optimise that and make the most of it," he said.
"Started last, I made a good start up to 14th, and just stayed there, nothing gained, nothing lost. And obviously our rivals Alfa didn't score points.
"I think the downforce was really, really key this weekend. One of those races where the rich got richer and the poor got poorer, and I think we know where we are with downforce, we're not up there with the top guys."
Related video

The secrets of preparing for a new F1 circuit
Tsunoda: Austin my best F1 race so far

Latest news
Rolex 24: Ganassi Cadillacs top final GTP practice at Daytona
Renger van der Zande produced fastest lap for Chip Ganassi Racing Cadillac in the new GTP class’s final systems check before tomorrow’s 61st Rolex 24 Hours at Daytona.
Harvick still 'the guy' at SHR, but Briscoe finding his voice
It wasn’t that long ago Chase Briscoe was just hoping to secure a fulltime ride in the NASCAR Cup Series and he could soon be the veteran driver at one of the sport’s top organizations.
WEC assessing Sebring alternative for US round from 2024
The FIA World Endurance Championship has admitted that it is examining alternatives to Sebring for the US round of the series from 2024.
Taylor: "Worn out" error reset button better than Rolex 24 limp mode
Ricky Taylor has zero worries over the pace of the new Acura ARX-06, but believes the new GTP cars will encounter several sensor issues over the course of the Rolex 24 Hours at Daytona.
Why Vasseur relishes 'feeling the pressure' as Ferrari's F1 boss
OPINION: Fred Vasseur has spent only a few weeks as team principal for the Ferrari Formula 1 team, but is already intent on taking the Scuderia back to the very top. And despite it being arguably the most demanding job in motorsport, the Frenchman is relishing the challenge
The crucial tech changes F1 teams must adapt to in 2023
Changes to the regulations for season two of Formula 1's ground-effects era aim to smooth out last year’s troubles and shut down loopholes. But what areas have been targeted, and what impact will this have?
Are these the 50 quickest drivers in F1 history?
Who are the quickest drivers in Formula 1 history? Luke Smith asked a jury of experienced and international panel of experts and F1 insiders. Some of them have worked closely with F1’s fastest-ever drivers – so who better to vote on our all-time top 50? We’re talking all-out speed here rather than size of trophy cabinet, so the results may surprise you…
One easy way the FIA could instantly improve F1
OPINION: During what is traditionally a very quiet time of year in the Formula 1 news cycle, FIA president Mohammed Ben Sulayem has been generating headlines. He’s been commenting on massive topics in a championship that loves them, but also addressing necessary smaller changes too. Here we suggest a further refinement that would be a big boon to fans
How can McLaren keep hold of Norris?
Lando Norris is no longer the young cheeky-chappy at McLaren; he’s now the established ace. And F1's big guns will come calling if the team can’t give him a competitive car. Here's what the team needs to do to retain its prize asset
What difference did F1's fastest pitstops of 2022 make?
While a quick pitstop can make all the difference to the outcome of a Formula 1 race, most team managers say consistency is more important than pure speed. MATT KEW analyses the fastest pitstops from last season to see which ones – if any – made a genuine impact
When F1 'holiday' races kept drivers busy through the winter
Modern Formula 1 fans have grown accustomed to a lull in racing during winter in the northern hemisphere. But, as MAURICE HAMILTON explains, there was a time when teams headed south of the equator rather than bunkering down in the factory. And why not? There was fun to be had, money to be made and reputations to forge…
What Porsche social media frenzy says about F1’s manufacturer allure
Porsche whipped up a frenzy thanks to a cryptic social media post last week, and though it turned out to be a false alarm, it also highlighted more just why manufacturers remain such an important element in terms of the attraction that they bring to F1. It is little wonder that several other manufacturers are bidding for a slice of the action.
Subscribe and access Motorsport.com with your ad-blocker.
From Formula 1 to MotoGP we report straight from the paddock because we love our sport, just like you. In order to keep delivering our expert journalism, our website uses advertising. Still, we want to give you the opportunity to enjoy an ad-free and tracker-free website and to continue using your adblocker.
You have 2 options:
- Become a subscriber.
- Disable your adblocker.