For "chaos, carnage and drivers looking like idiots" watch another sport - George Russell

Williams

For "chaos, carnage and drivers looking like idiots" watch another sport - Russell

Williams driver hopes F1 can learn from Turkish GP weekend

Ewan Gale

Wednesday 18 November 2020 15:09

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Williams driver George Russell believes Formula 1 fans should watch another series or sport if they want to regularly witness the chaos that unfolded across the Turkish Grand Prix weekend.

Russell finished a lowly 16th in the difficult conditions at Istanbul Park after struggling for pace and grip on a drying track with intermediate tyres in the second half of the race.

After initially insisting such a spectacle was not what F1 is about, Russell was asked whether there was at least entertainment value that was enticing for fans.

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"If you want chaos and carnage and drivers to be made to look like idiots, there are other categories and sports out there you can go and watch," said the Briton.

"Formula 1 is about the best cars, the best drivers and the best teams going to the best tracks and showing what they can do and the weekend was not that.

"People from the outside will think 'How can you spin when you are going so slow'? These cars aren't designed to go slow and we were forced to go slow. The tyres were working in a window they are not designed to work."

Russell explained how tyre temperature was key to finding pace in the race and expressed hope the sport can take lessons from the weekend in order to avoid a repeat in the future.

"It was more dangerous when there was a safety car or a red flag when you had to back off because you lost all of your tyre temperature," he added.

"Even at the end of the race, I backed off and almost span off on my in-lap after the race because I lost 30 degrees of tyre temperature in half a lap and then it is like skating on ice.

"There has got to be a mid-point somewhere that maybe F1 can learn from and we are not just going in here just rolling the dice week-in, week-out."

Before you go...

Magnussen left to rue 'thrown-away points'

Wolff sorry for Stroll after Turkish delight turned to despair