Abu Dhabi Grand Prix

Russell laments lost 'opportunity to win' in Abu Dhabi

Russell "happy to be back" at Williams but disappointed to miss chance to win season finale

Will Gray

Saturday 12 December 2020 13:25

George Russell feels he lost “a great opportunity” to win the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix in returning to Williams after Lewis Hamilton completed his recovery from Covid-19.

In his sole outing for Mercedes last weekend, Russell controlled the race from the front after passing team-mate Valtteri Bottas into turn one, but a pit-stop blunder from the team and a late puncture took away his chance of victory.

Russell had hoped for a second bite of the cherry at the Yas Marina Circuit. The 22-year-old even covered media duties as a Mercedes driver on Thursday, only for the team to confirm that evening Hamilton would be returning.

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“I think prior to Bahrain, I wanted to have the two weeks in the car purely because I was expecting to learn everything I needed to in Bahrain and then I could've come here with no excuses as such," said Russell.

“But as Bahrain did go so well for me from a performance perspective, part of me was kind of like, it was a good weekend, I really wanted to win and I would have had a great opportunity this weekend.”

Instead, he has returned to struggling Williams. The team is the only constructor yet to register a point this season, something Russell hopes to change in the final race on Sunday.

Despite the understandable disappointment not to see out the season with a second race with Mercedes, the Briton said it was “nice to be back”.

Russell is now hoping the knowledge gleaned from working with Mercedes will help him and the team secure that elusive point.

"This is where I have been for the last 18 months so we are working hard to try and end the season strong,” he said. “It was obviously very different [at Mercedes], there is no hiding the lap times and that is clear.

“Mercedes is the benchmark. I was fortunate enough to race with them last week and know where we need to be pushing the car, so good learning, and to get that back to back in the space of five days was great."