“We gotta be in it to win it,” George Russell after bagging his first podium with Mercedes at the 2022 Australian GP

“We gotta be in it to win it,” George Russell after bagging his first podium with Mercedes at the 2022 Australian GP

George Russell

After Max Verstappen’s DNF in the Australian GP and a spectacular drive, George Russell has bagged his first podium in only his third race for Mercedes. The Briton finished P3 ahead of his teammate and seven times world champion Lewis Hamilton. Despite the heavy porpoising in his W13, the driver came out on top of the problem to bag 15 points.

The driver was chosen to replace Valtteri Bottas at Mercedes and was brought in from Williams ahead of the 2022 season. And since then, he has been consistent, finishing P5 in Bahrain and P6 in Saudi Arabia, and finally P3 in Australia.

George was a bit fortunate with Max Verstappen’s DNF, who was running P2 and benefitted from the safety car that followed. Speaking after the race, Russell said, “We gotta be in it to win it and capitalize from others’ misfortune, and we’ll take it.” 

FS Video

First podium for George Russell at Mercedes

George Russell on the Australian GP Podium
George Russell on the Australian GP Podium

The podium in Australia is George’s second podium of his F1 career, the first one coming in 2021 for Williams at the Belgian GP. This podium has moved the driver to the second spot in the drivers’ championship with 37 points to his name, trailing behind Charles Leclerc, who has been in a phenomenal form since the season began.

George said, “There’s so much hard work going on to get us back. We are never going to give up, we were a long way behind and yet here we are, on the podium. If anyone can, Mercedes can. To be standing on the podium is special.”

George ahead of the Australian GP criticized FIA’s decision of removing the 4th DRS zone from the Albert Park. The porpoising couldn’t get better of the Briton as he overcame the adversity. Russell pitted during Sebastian Vettel’s crash, which gave him a significant time advantage over a normal pit.

George has shown why he deserved the seat at Mercedes ahead of everyone. Even with a car, that has a plethora of issues, the driver kept his calm and deservedly finished P3.

ALSO READ: “It has kind of made it worse,” George Russell slams FIA for the removal of a DRS zone at Albert Park