George Russell distraught after Lewis Hamilton Belgian Grand Prix crash: 'Maybe he could have braked a bit more'

George Russell at the Austrian Grand Prix — Photo: © IMAGO

Belgian Grand Prix

George Russell distraught after Lewis Hamilton Belgian Grand Prix crash: 'Maybe he could have braked a bit more'

George Russell didn't even make it past lap one in Belgium

Sam Cook Digital Journalist

Sports Journalist who has been covering motorsport since 2023

Sunday 19 July 2026 18:58

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A disappointed George Russell issued an emotional interview following the Belgian Grand Prix, after a lap one crash ruled him out of the race.

Russell was caught up in an incident with Lewis Hamilton on lap one, with the pair making contact on the exit of turn three, seeing Russell spin out and into the gravel.

He couldn't carry on and, with team-mate and championship rival Kimi Antonelli winning the grand prix, Russell dropped to 50 points behind Antonelli in the drivers' championship.

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Hamilton, meanwhile, was handed a five-second time penalty for the incident, with the seven-time champion crossing the line down in fourth, jumping above Russell and into second in the standings.

But Russell described the incident as simply a 'racing incident', and was more annoyed with his Mercedes car's inability to pull away down the straight.

Russell has suggested throughout this weekend that his car has a problem on the straights that Antonelli's does not, citing after qualifying that he has been losing time through no fault of his own, which would provide some explanation for his poor form so far in 2026.

Russell emotional following Belgian GP crash

Russell dropped from third to fifth on the first lap after Eau Rouge, in his words being 'swallowed up' by several cars before the contact with Hamilton happened.

Mercedes' Russell was visibly upset after the race, and Sky Sports F1's Craig Slater revealed that Russell was close to tears when talking to him.

"I just got totally swallowed up down the straight," Russell told Sky Sports F1 following his retirement. "I lost three positions down the straight down into turn five, and then the incident was a racing incident.

"Maybe I could have gone a bit wider. Maybe he could have braked a bit more. The incident shouldn't have happened if I had the speed down the straight. Yeah, I'm very, very disappointed.

"I appreciate everyone's working hard to solve the problem, but you know I'm stood here on lap five of the race, and felt like I was in a good position to fight for the lead into turn one, and then suddenly no power, and it's all gone."

F1 RACE RESULTS: Belgian Grand Prix times and positions

F1 Lewis Hamilton Mercedes George Russell Belgian Grand Prix