George Russell reflects on Shanghai Sprint, where tyre strategy and late pressure defined his battle for podium contention in tricky conditions.
Mercedes picked up extra points at the Shanghai Sprint, with George Russell finishing a solid fourth—just shy of chasing down Max Verstappen in the closing laps.
Early in the race, Russell was locked in behind Oscar Piastri, managing to pull away from Charles Leclerc—only for the Ferrari driver to claw his way back into contention. For Russell, it became clear early on: tyres were going to be the real decider.
“To be honest, it was all about tyre management,” the British driver said post-race. “You could see Lewis was under pressure, but he managed his tyres well and pulled away.”
“At the halfway mark, I felt comfortable—four seconds ahead of Charles, four seconds behind Oscar. Then suddenly I was gaining on Oscar and thought, ‘Let’s go!’ But at the same time, I saw Charles closing in on me in the mirrors.”
Antonelli Stuck, Tyres Overheat Early
Meanwhile, Andrea Kimi Antonelli spent the entire Sprint stuck in seventh behind Yuki Tsunoda, unable to make a move. The young Italian admitted that the opening lap pretty much set the tone for his race.
“The first lap shaped everything,” he said. “We saw yesterday how tyre degradation was a big factor. Being stuck just half a second behind for the whole race didn’t help tyre temps at all.”
“They overheated, and I struggled—especially in the low-speed corners. The race could have gone differently, but it was still a valuable experience.”
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Tyre Struggles Shape Russell’s Sprint in Shanghai
Tyre Struggles Shape Russell’s Sprint in Shanghai
