F1 Australian GP: ‘Red flag was totally unnecessary,’ George Russell fumes at the FIA’s decision-making in Melbourne
George Russell was unhappy after the first red flag forced the British driver to fall behind his rivals at the front.
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George Russell
George Russell lost out on a potential victory at the Australian GP. The British driver had a great start and got into the race’s lead. However, Russell lost out to rivals as he was pitted under the Safety Car, right before the first red flag after Alex Abon crashed into the barriers. Although the 25-year-old eventually retired due to a mechanical failure, George was far from happy with the FIA.
The Mercedes driver expressed his resentment for the first red flag of the race. George Russell said, “I thought the red flag was totally unnecessary.” The stewards had made this decision after gravel surfaced on the track after Albon’s incident. Russell did not shy away from stating that F1 has raced in worse conditions before. He explained, “There was obviously quite a bit of gravel on the track, but there was a clear racing line. We’ve seen it far worse in the past.”
The British driver further claimed this decision to be in the same vein as the Safety Car at the Saudi Arabian GP. When Lance Stroll stopped after an engine issue. George Russell continued, “It’s sort of reminiscent of the decision of last week in Saudi to bring out the safety car when the car was totally off the track.” Understandably, the 25-year-old was furious as he lost out the most from the decision at Albert Park.
Discover: Who won the 2023 F1 Australian GP?
“I don’t really know what’s going on,” George Russell on the FIA’s decisions
Moreover, George Russell stated his confusion in the decision-making of race control. The 25-year-old admitted, “So, I don’t really know what’s going on with some of the decisions at the moment.” Similarly, other drivers have also been critical of how the Australian GP was handled. Four cars crashed out with just 2 laps remaining after the second restart caused by Kevin Magnussen’s retirement.
As the Director of the Grand Prix Drivers’ Association, George Russell was optimistic that things could be improved. The British driver clarified that the paddock is trying to sort things out with the Mohammed Ben Sulayem-led FIA. Though, it seems the teams and drivers are facing difficulties. Russell concluded, “We’re all trying to work together with the FIA to improve things, but it’s seemingly a bit of a challenge.”
Thus, an angry George Russell was not pleased with the stewards after the Australian GP. The Mercedes driver lost ground due to the red flag at the start of the race. This eventually didn’t matter as Russell was forced to stop on track shortly after. Yet, this remains a cause of concern for the sport in general as such, fans would hope that F1 and stakeholders delve into discussions to clarify these decisions.
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