George Russell uncovers innovative plan to overcome F1's hidden challenge

Singapore Grand Prix

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Russell uncovers innovative plan to overcome F1's hidden challenge

Could this provide Russell with an edge?

Ewan Gale

Thursday 29 September 2022 17:01

George Russell has revealed his innovative way to combat F1's time zone issue at the Singapore Grand Prix.

With the Marina Bay Street Circuit hosting a night race, the seven-hour difference to the United Kingdom forces team personnel to wake in the early afternoon local time and then go to bed in the early hours of the morning.

This poses issues as most shops, restaurants or fitness facilities close long before drivers and team members eventually rest.

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Jetlag from the long travelling time, which can be upwards from a minimum of 14 hours from the UK, can become a hurdle when staying on the right time schedule.

With concentration and responsiveness such key assets for an F1 driver, competitors often try to find new ways of gaining an edge before arriving at the track.

Asked how he kills time during the Singapore night, Russell replied: "I am just purely on a normal schedule, so I don't really have time to kill.

"I went to sleep at 04:00 [on Wednesday night], got up at... I put my watch on Dubai time because for me, psychologically, when I look at my phone and see it is 03:00 I don't know if it is time to sleep or not time to sleep.

"So I always change it to a time that seems psychologically correct to me."

Russell avoids Mercedes Petronas disruption

Mercedes this week held a sponsor event in Malaysia's capital Kuala Lumpur as the team announced an extension to its partnership with Petronas.

Russell and team-mate Lewis Hamilton made appearances on stage in front of Mercedes fans at the famous twin towers, which could have disrupted the plan to remain on a European schedule.

But Russell explained: "The event in Malaysia, they were very generous for us to start at 15:00.

"Obviously it is a unique one with Singapore being a night race, staying on a European schedule.

"In Malaysia, we were effectively on a European schedule as well so that was beneficial.

"Little things like that, there is a lot of performance in so I am pleased that when we are doing these events, they are in the best interests of the whole team."