George Russell during the press conference in Japan — Photo: © IMAGO

Azerbaijan Grand Prix

Mercedes F1 star baffled by Baku ‘BEAR TRAPS’

George Russell was left confused by Sky Sports' Ted Kravitz

Jay Winter

Sunday 15 September 2024 22:57

George Russell was left bewildered after a confusing exchange with Sky Sports F1 reporter Ted Kravitz in the media pen following a chaotic qualifying session for the Azerbaijan Grand Prix.

The Mercedes driver managed to secure P5 but was visibly puzzled when Kravitz referred to the 'bear traps' that had caught out other drivers, including Lando Norris, who was eliminated in Q1.

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Speaking to Kravitz after the session, Russell was caught off guard when the Sky Sports reporter commented on his ability to avoid the pitfalls of Baku’s notoriously tricky street circuit.

Russell dodges Baku 'bear traps'

“You managed to avoid some of the bear traps that are always existent around this track,” Kravitz noted, prompting a surprised reaction from the Mercedes star.

“The bear traps?” Russell exclaimed, clearly baffled by the phrase.

Kravitz clarified his comment, explaining that the "bear traps" referred to the various hazards that drivers face in Baku, such as yellow flags, tight walls and other driver incidents.

“The bear traps that can catch people out; a wall, a yellow flag, someone else's incident. We saw it happen to Lando in Q1.”

Russell, still appearing confused, asked for more details on the incident that saw McLaren’s Lando Norris knocked out in the first round of qualifying.

Norris was knocked out in Q1, qualifying P17

Kravitz explained that Norris had been affected by a potential yellow flag error, which forced him to back off and slide on a curb, costing him crucial time.

“He [Norris] says that he was shown a yellow flag but it was potentially mis-shown by the FIA because Ocon was only going slowly and wasn’t off the track and causing a hazard,” Kravitz revealed.

George Russell and Ted Kravitz at the Austrian Grand Prix

While the intricacies of Norris’s misfortune seemed overly complicated, Russell took it all in stride.

“It all sounds a bit complex,” he remarked.

“But you avoided all of that!” Kravitz concluded.

“Just about,” Russell responded.

Despite the confusion, Russell emerged unscathed from both Baku’s treacherous qualifying session and a dramatic end to the race to finish third, taking an unlikely podium.

McLaren FIA Lando Norris George Russell Azerbaijan Grand Prix Verstappen