Russell: Mugello my best drive and toughest result

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George Russell

George Russell excited by unknown of the Tuscan GP at Mugello.

George Russell has said that the Tuscan Grand Prix was best the drive of his career, and mentally the most difficult result to accept.

The Williams driver looked set to score his first-ever point in Formula 1 after running in the top 10 for most of the race.

However, a poor getaway at the final restart dropped him down the order and he finished in P11, just behind Sebastian Vettel.

“I’d say probably mentally, the toughest race I’ve ever come away from, probably in the last five years. Incredibly gutting for all of us, myself and the team, everybody. We deserved that [a point],” he said.

“That last restart, losing all the positions off the line, literally on that launch in the first two seconds, was just horrible. It was probably the best race I’d ever driven, it was probably the best the car had ever felt overall in my Formula 1 career with Williams on a Sunday.

“Obviously very strange circumstances how we lost out on that opportunity, but in all honesty, we’re looking forward, that’s behind us now. Myself and the team have greater aspirations than scoring a point here and there.

“We’re on the up as a team and we want to be fighting in those positions more often. Like I said, gutting, but we’re looking forward, not behind us.”

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Sebastian Vettel George Russell
Sebastian Vettel George Russell

Vettel was quick to praise Russell after the race, stating that the Brit “drove really well” and “really deserved a point”.

The Williams man appreciates the praise and says the fact that he was able to go toe to toe with the German’s Ferrari is encouraging for the team.

“I think it’s nice that people recognise the job you’re doing,” he added.

“Even for the team, everybody recognised the job we on the racetrack had done from the mechanics, the engineers, the strategists – it was a Sunday very well executed.

“The fact we were there fighting on pace with the Ferraris, I know they’re having a tough year, but still they were seconds ahead of us last year.”

The race in Mugello made it 30 outings without any points scored for Russell. That puts him P6 in the list of drivers to compete in the most races without picking up a single point.

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