George Russell Criticizes Mercedes for ‘Fundamental Error’ After Unexpected Q1 Elimination at Hungarian Grand Prix

George Russell vents frustration over a "basic" mistake by Mercedes leading to an early elimination in Q1

"Not having sufficient fuel for the entire session is a basic mistake, and as a team, we committed a significant blunder."

George Russell expressed his disappointment over a significant mistake made by Mercedes, as he was left without sufficient fuel to participate effectively in the final stages of the Formula 1 qualifying round at the Hungarian Grand Prix.

Russell made an unexpected early departure from the Hungaroring when he headed back to the pit lane, just as track conditions began to get better in Q1.

The Mercedes racer was among the initial drivers to return to the track after the suspension period ended.

Following adjustments to the order, Russell made his way back to the pit lane while the rest of the competitors, with the exception of the Alpines and Perez, continued to lap around.

This turned out to be an incorrect choice as several drivers enhanced their performance, pushing Russell down into the elimination zone.

Russell owned up to the Q1 departure, stating, "Apologies for this round, everyone. My fault."

Expressing his irritation through the team's communication system, he questioned, "Why haven't we fueled the car sufficiently to finish the session?"

Following the meeting, Russell detailed the duo of reasons for his unexpected departure in Q1.

"He mentioned two reasons for his position – initially, it was because of his own shortcomings early on, which resulted in him being in 15th place," he explained. "Following that, the issue was that after changing to new tires towards the end, there wasn't sufficient fuel left to finish the session.

"Our performance was optimal during the wettest conditions, but once it dried up, we were out of fuel. It turned into a catastrophe from both perspectives. Ideally, we would have easily completed that final lap, but the lack of fuel prevented us. Ultimately, the responsibility for ending up in that predicament falls on me."

Russell faces a significant challenge in his quest to climb back into a points-scoring position since he's slated to begin the race from the 17th spot.

Russell characterized the shortage of fuel as a "basic" mistake.

"He acknowledged that the situation certainly did not meet their usual standards. “We have to analyze it and grasp what occurred on my end initially,” he stated.

"Ensuring we have sufficient fuel for the entire session is crucial, and as a team, we committed a significant mistake."

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