George Russell has steered that “19 out of 20” drivers are aligned on what Components 1’s racing pointers must be and was happy to see “unfair” racing manoeuvres penalised on the Mexican Grand Prix.
Russell, who serves as a director of the Grand Prix Drivers’ Affiliation, has been vocal on the necessity for the drivers, stewards and the FIA to debate the present pointers on racing within the wake of the US Grand Prix’s contentious battle between Max Verstappen and Lando Norris.
Talking in Mexico, the place the 2 championship contenders as soon as once more got here below scrutiny for his or her on-track actions – Verstappen penalised 20 seconds for 2 violations – Russell mentioned that he anticipated the stewards to proceed to take a hard-line strategy.
He revealed that every one however one driver was completely happy for the stewards to vary their strategy with penalising sure incidents instantly after Austin, quite than wait till 2025 for brand spanking new pointers.
“I feel the stewards are completely on board with what wants to vary,” Russell mentioned.
“Our view is…I feel the largest dialogue is that they wished to attend till ’25, so it is one thing constant by this yr. I’d say 19 out of 20 drivers mentioned, ‘effectively, if it is incorrect, make the change right this moment’.
“And I am glad to see these incidents had been punished and I believe transferring ahead in Brazil what we noticed right this moment [Sunday] and what we noticed final week [in Austin] you will not be capable to get away with.
“You presume [it should be easy to change if everyone agrees], but it surely typically appears tougher than it must be when issues should get permitted and we have got to go to a vote app. However as I mentioned, 19 out of 20, we’re all aligned on the place it must be.”
George Russell, Mercedes F1 W15, Lewis Hamilton, Mercedes F1 W15
Picture by: Simon Galloway / Motorsport Pictures
Russell pointed to his personal battle with team-mate Lewis Hamilton as “arduous and truthful” racing, wherein the youthful Briton held off his team-mate till the beginning of the 66th lap.
He additionally had his say on the Verstappen/Norris incident, stating that the Dutchman’s Flip 7 transfer – wherein he carried important overspeed into the nook and ran Norris off – was one thing he hadn’t seen since Verstappen’s transfer on Hamilton at Brazil in 2021.
“It was good to have the battle and it is all the time good once you struggle with Lewis as a result of it is arduous and truthful,” Russell mentioned.
“In the intervening time you are seeing plenty of manoeuvres which might be simply…it is getting past entertaining or past sporting, it is simply virtually unfair to a degree now.
“You possibly can argue the primary one was perhaps 60-40. The final one, I’ve not seen something like that since in all probability Brazil [2021].”
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