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Mercedes reveal Hamilton risk over aid for ‘sitting duck’ Russell
Mercedes’ Head of Race Strategy, Rosie Wait, defended the decision to prioritize Lewis Hamilton over George Russell in the fight against Carlos Sainz during the Japanese Grand Prix, stating that Russell was a “sitting duck” due to his one-stop strategy. Russell initially resisted instructions to let Hamilton pass, but eventually complied on the final lap. However, Sainz was still able to overtake both Mercedes drivers to finish between them. Some Mercedes fans questioned if more could have been done to help Russell maintain his position. Wait explained that it would have been helpful to have a pause button to discuss the options with the drivers and understand the condition of Russell’s tires and his ability to maintain pace. She also highlighted the risks of defending both drivers into Turn 1 at Suzuka and stated that Russell was likely to struggle to defend his position given previous overtaking experiences. The focus had to be on not compromising the position gained by Sainz with Hamilton, resulting in Russell finishing in seventh place.
Source: RacingNews 365
