“It’s still not enough,” George Russell pinpoints SERIOUS safety concern for F1

George Russell mentioned that there was still a long way to go for F1 to completely solidify driver safety in one key aspect.

“It’s still not enough,” George Russell pinpoints SERIOUS safety concern for F1

George Russell (via IMAGO)

Formula 1 is an extremely intense sport and highly taxing on the drivers’ bodies. The Qatar GP in 2023 had extreme amounts of heat and caused issues not only for the cars but also for the drivers themselves. Hence, George Russell has reflected upon Formula 1’s loose attempt at fixing the issues of the Lusail Circuit from the previous year. Russell openly calls out the sport over their issues. Previously the Britln pointed out the risks of banning tire blankets in the sport.

FIA allowed the usage of new cooling ducts near the driver in the cockpit to allow better flow of winds to the driver, effectively keeping them cool. Russell recalled the previous year’s Qatar GP and how the temps reached a high of 40 degrees. Additionally, Romain Grosjean‘s horrific crash in Bahrain GP caused the sport to increase the thickness of racing suits to make them more fire-proof, hence this increased drivers’ body temperatures during races.

I think with the ambient temperatures we had and the humidity, the feeling was [in the] high 40 degrees. I think somebody had a calculation that the feeling was 48 degrees in Qatar. Ever since Romain [Grosjean]’s crash a couple of years ago, the race kits are getting thicker and thicker with fireproof layers.
Russell said, as reported by racingnews365.com.
YouTube video

The body temperature of the drivers reaching nearly 40 degrees indicated that the drivers were on the verge of being hospitalized after the race. Logan Sargeant had to retire from the race due to feeling unwell at the circuit last year. Hence, Russell asserted that the step was ‘very small’ and still not enough to ensure maximum safety for drivers.

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The body temperature was probably closing in on 40 degrees which is borderline ‘you're getting [sent to] the hospital'. [It’s] a very, very small step but unfortunately it’s still not enough.

George Russell praised the performance of the Mercedes 15

George Russell showcased optimism over the development and current pace produced by the W15 challenger of Mercedes. The Briton mentioned that the W15 was more enjoyable to drive as compared to the W14 from the previous year. Hence, Brackley is hopeful of great results down the season alongside Russell and Lewis Hamilton.

George Russell and Lewis Hamilton
George Russell and Lewis Hamilton (Via: Imago)

The team’s goal for the testing session wasn’t to score a ‘sweet spot’ with the car according to Russell. On the contrary, the team wished to maximize mileage for learning and better developments down the season. Hence, the 26-year-old insisted that the car felt much better to drive. However, the driver also acknowledged the fact that the speed of the car was more imperative than the feel of the car.

Brackley would try their best to help Lewis Hamilton finish the season on a high and potentially fight for the championship. However, Red Bull’s pace and performance during the testing session have fear-struck the rival teams on the grid. The seven-time world champion also accepted that Red Bull would likely emerge victorious at the season-opener in Bahrain.

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