P1racenews AI automatic summary:
George Russell had to settle for fourth on the opening day in Imola, with McLaren having been out of sight for Mercedes.
In his comical reaction to the pace of McLaren, George Russell mentioned how quickly Oscar Piastri disappeared after being in his sights.
Piastri led a McLaren one-two in both first and second practice at the Emilia Romagna Grand Prix, with Russell coming in fourth fastest.
No other driver came close to McLaren, signaling their potential dominance at Imola.
Pierre Gasly’s third-place finish caught Russell by surprise, but he noted that Mercedes’ main rivals are Ferrari and Max Verstappen, not McLaren.
Despite McLaren’s strong race pace, Russell confirmed that Mercedes was closer to them in terms of one-lap pace.
Russell also mentioned they are focusing on consistency and picking up points while trying out some new components in the car.
