George Russell Voices Frustration with Pirelli Tyres at Azerbaijan GP: Calls for ‘Serious Conversations

George Russell expresses frustration over Pirelli's F1 tires, demanding urgent discussions

"The tires are the sole issue. It's simply not satisfactory."

George Russell expressed significant frustration with the Pirelli Formula 1 tires during the Azerbaijan Grand Prix, urging for "serious discussions" with the tyre company from Italy.

Russell made his way back to the podium, marking his first appearance there since winning the Austrian Grand Prix earlier in the year.

The Mercedes racer lucked into a third-place finish, climbing up two positions following a final-lap crash between Carlos Sainz and Sergio Perez.

Initially lagging behind in speed during the opening half, Russell found his momentum in the second half of Sunday's grand prix.

In a post-race interview with F1 TV, Russell explained that the variations in his speed were due to the tyres.

"He's relieved that both are safe. He confidently stated, "The podium is ours for the taking." He described the race as peculiar, noting, "In the initial half, we lagged by 1.5 seconds. However, in the final 20 laps, my pace was a second faster than Oscar and Charles, and three-tenths faster than Max, Checo, and Carlos."

"The course remains unchanged, as does the driver and the vehicle. The only difference is we switched from a yellow tire to a white tire."

"Frankly, it's frustrating how much it varies, and it's not exclusive to Mercedes. Every team, every driver experiences it. One moment we're leading, the next we're behind. It all comes down to a single factor that shifts."

Russell characterized the situation as "unsatisfactory," calling for "meaningful discussions."

"He further mentioned, 'It's like witchcraft.' Even those who manufacture the tyres are baffled by them."

It's crucial that we engage in meaningful discussions about the current situation, considering we have 2000 dedicated individuals working tirelessly to produce the quickest car. For 20 laps, our car was in a strong position, competing for the win, but for another 20 laps, it seemed like our car didn't even deserve to score points.

"The sole distinction lies in the tires. Frankly, it's insufficient."

Explore Further

Sign up for our Formula 1 Newsletter

Receive the most recent Formula 1 updates, unique content, one-on-one conversations, and special offers straight from the track to your email.

For additional details, refer to our Privacy Policy.

Recent Updates

Additional Updates

Site Navigation

Crash.Net

©1999-2024 Crash Media Group

Reproducing texts, photos, or illustrations in whole or in part is strictly prohibited in any manner.