Williams "damned if we do damned if we don't" on tyre gamble - Russell
Williams "damned if we do damned if we don't" on tyre gamble - Russell
George Russell has suggested his Williams team is "damned if we do and damned if we don't" after a strategic gamble failed to pay off during the Spanish Grand Prix.
Russell finished 14th in Barcelona after challenging the top 10 at one stage after Williams decided to pit the British driver under safety car conditions early on in the race.
But his medium tyres faded towards the end, leaving Russell to suggest his team cannot win strategically whatever the options.
Asked if the decision to double-stack Russell and team-mate Nicholas Latifi was a sign of growing confidence, he said: "I think so.
"But it is difficult in our position where you are naturally on the back foot where you are dammed if you do and dammed if you don't.
"That was our situation after qualifying in Q1. We didn't feel like we had quite enough pace to get into Q2 but we were wrong, we get to Q2 and we wish we had another set of tyres.
"Had we finished Q1 in 16th or 17th, you think 'Why didn't we use that third set?'
"Perhaps if we had done a more ordinary strategy then maybe we would have had a better finishing time and position but we wouldn't have had that opportunity to be in the battle. It is so difficult."
Former GP3 and F2 champion Russell indicated the difference in attacking philosophy between a backmarker team and fighting up front has forced him to change his driving style.
"It is difficult for the strategists because we are all trying to roll the dice to get fortunate and get that one good result," he added.
"We only need one good result in the whole season to transform the constructors' championships and as a driver I recognise that.
"Sometimes you have to put more on the table than you would if you are going for a championship, which is naturally who I am as a driver, and not how I have gone about my business in the junior series when I was trying to win a championship as opposed to going all in for that one opportunity."
Related
Change your timezone:
Latest News
F1 News Today: Hamilton dealt major Newey blow as Red Bull chief makes BRUTAL admission
- 39 minutes ago
Schumacher reveals how Mercedes could snare Verstappen
- 1 hour ago
Red Bull chief in BRUTAL putdown of key F1 feature
- 1 hour ago
Cullen relationship blossoms with new star after moving on from Hamilton
- 2 hours ago
Hamilton dealt major Newey blow as shock COMPLICATION revealed
- 3 hours ago
Horner outlines Ricciardo target to save F1 dream as major Newey announcement made - GPFans F1 Recap
- Yesterday 23:57
Related news
F1 champion claims team may WRITE OFF Chinese GP sprint race
Schumacher fires scary message at F1 team boss as worst fears CONFIRMED
FIA slammed for 'ridiculous' Russell investigation
F1 team hire former Man Utd and Chelsea supremo
F1 Standings
Drivers
- Oliver Bearman
- Charles Leclerc
- Carlos Sainz
- Lando Norris
- Oscar Piastri
- Pierre Gasly
- Esteban Ocon
- Sergio Pérez
- Max Verstappen
- Alexander Albon
- Logan Sargeant
- Lewis Hamilton
- George Russell
- Nico Hülkenberg
- Kevin Magnussen
- Fernando Alonso
- Lance Stroll
- Valtteri Bottas
- Zhou Guanyu
- Daniel Ricciardo
- Yuki Tsunoda
Races
- Gulf Air Grand Prix of Bahrain 2024
- Saudi Arabian Grand Prix 2024
- Grand Prix of Australia 2024
- MSC Cruises Grand Prix of Japan 2024
- Grand Prix of China 2024
- Miami Grand Prix 2024
- Gran Premio dell'Emilia Romagna 2024
- Grand Prix of Monaco 2024
- Grand Prix du Canada 2024
- Gran Premio de España 2024
- Grand Prix of Austria 2024
- Grand Prix of Great Britain 2024
- Grand Prix of Hungary 2024
- Grand Prix of Belgium 2024
- Heineken Dutch Grand Prix 2024
- Grand Prix of Italy 2024
- Grand Prix of Azerbaijan 2024
- Grand Prix of Singapore 2024
- Grand Prix of the United States 2024
- Gran Premio de la Ciudad de Mexico 2024
- Grande Prêmio de São Paulo 2024
- Heineken Silver Las Vegas Grand Prix 2024
- Qatar Grand Prix 2024
- Grand Prix of Abu Dhabi 2024
About GPFans
GPFans is a multi-platform, multi-language brand dedicated to Formula One coverage. We bring you all the ins and outs of the sport, 24/7, everything from up-to-the-minute news and features to the latest viral stories and clips.We believe that a new generation of exciting, outspoken drivers will make F1 more popular than ever before, and we want to give our users access to as much of their heroes as possible, on and off the track. From Lewis Hamilton to Max Verstappen, Daniel Ricciardo to Sebastian Vettel, we provide in-depth analysis of every every Grand Prix in the season, from Australia to Abu Dhabi.
With Formula One under the new ownership of Liberty Media, how the sport is being covered is evolving, and GPFans will look to be at the heart of this progression into new media, as one of the fastest-growing sites covering the king of motorsports.
Follow us on your favorite social media channel
Corporate & Media
Innovatieweg 20C7007 CD, Doetinchem, Netherlands
+31645516860