(Motorsport-Total.com) – George Russell described his second place at the British Grand Prix in Silverstone as a special moment in his career. The Mercedes driver looks back on his long connection with the historic race track after the race and explains that the podium at his home race has closed a circle for him.
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Russell recalls in the “Nu Silver Arrows Radio Show” that his story in Silverstone began as a child: “I am very grateful to have stood up there because I was at Silverstone for the first time as an eleven-year-old boy. And I won my very first car race at Silverstone. It was the first time I drove an F1 car.”
Slow puncture initially sets Russell back
Sportingly, the Grand Prix in Silverstone did not go without setbacks at first. Russell started the race from fourth place and was fighting Max Verstappen for third when Mercedes informed him of a slow puncture. The unavoidable pit stop set the Brit back to seventh place.
Despite the renewed disappointment, Russell did not lose his composure. “I didn’t even really react. Because we’ve already had our fair share of bad luck this year. And when that slow puncture came, I was just about to overtake Max for P3. And then I thought: Not again.”
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However, the picture changed decisively later in the race. After Verstappen got stuck in the gravel trap at the Stowe corner, the resulting safety car created new opportunities. While Charles Leclerc and Lewis Hamilton switched to soft tires, Russell stayed on track and moved up to second place.
Home podium as a reward for fighting spirit and patience
Looking back, the Mercedes driver is surprised by the positive turn: “But if someone had told me when I left the pits seventh behind Isack Hadjar that we would be second 14 laps later, I would have thought that was impossible. Unless it had been pouring rain.” Russell also emphasizes that the race once again showed how quickly the situation in motorsport can change. “But that’s the sport. You just have to keep pushing and never give up.”
With second place in Silverstone, Russell secured one of his most emotional results of the season. In front of the home crowd and the gathered family, he was able to achieve a strong result despite a temporary setback and return to the podium at a place that has shaped his career since the very first steps in motorsport.
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