Mercedes driver George Russell does not yet have enough experience at the front of the F1 grid to avoid mistakes when “it matters most”.
This is the opinion of F1 presenter Natalie Pinkham, who was encouraged by the British driver’s self-critical attitude after a disappointing Canadian Grand Prix.
Did George Russell’s inexperience cost Mercedes in Canada?
Russell took the second pole position of his career in Montreal, but could only manage third place, behind Red Bull’s Max Verstappen and McLaren’s Lando Norris, on race day after making a series of mistakes in changing conditions.
Despite scoring Mercedes’ first podium of the 2024 F1 season, Russell was remorseful after the race, admitting that he felt he had “let the team down a little bit” with his mistakes on track.
Mercedes has struggled mightily since Russell became Lewis Hamilton’s teammate at the start of the 2022 F1 season, with the former taking the team’s only victory of the ground effect era at Interlagos two years ago.
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Appearing in the F1 Nation In the podcast, Pinkham claimed that Russell’s lack of experience competing up front was demonstrated by his mistakes in Canada.
She said: “He is clearly a very talented driver, but he hasn’t had enough experience at the front to hone those skills when it matters most and he still made some slightly costly mistakes.
“And he will certainly solve them, because he has the talent to do it.
“It’s fantastic to see him back up front in a really fast car. This is what you’ve been waiting for, this is what you’ve been waiting so patiently all these years.
“It’s making a decent car with their experience and hopefully they can reap the rewards of that.”
Pinkham considered Russell’s reaction at the end of the race a good sign, comparing it to Kevin Magnussen’s after the sprint race in Miami, where the Haas driver openly admitted that he deserved to be penalized for repeatedly blocking Hamilton’s Mercedes. .
She explained: “It’s very endearing when someone criticizes themselves, because you think you’re the first person you should look at in the mirror, it’s yourself. Charles (Leclerc) does it too.
“You need to almost create an image of yourself that you want others to accept.
“If you’re the first person to say publicly that it was my fault, then a few months later we might not even remember what happened, but we’ll be like, ‘But wasn’t it George’s fault?’
“We might not think that if he hadn’t mentioned it. Always be positive and constructive, but you must also acknowledge it.
“I really loved it when Kevin Magnussen was an owner in Miami and said, ‘Actually, no, I deserve those penalties.’
“It was very comforting because a lot of drivers try to blame each other. Maybe that’s just part of his personality. I think it’s a pretty endearing trait.
“But ultimately you want to create a really positive brand for your racing and you want everyone else to accept it.
“Don’t fool us, but be confident in your claims about your ability to drive.”
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