Belgian Grand Prix winner George Russell admitted he was stunned to have been able to win at Spa-Francorchamps.
The Mercedes driver held off group mate Lewis Hamilton within the closing laps after efficiently pulling off a one-stop technique to win.
Russell described his strategic victory as an “superb outcome” and admitted it had been one he had not anticipated heading into the race.
“We undoubtedly didn’t predict this win this morning in our technique assembly,” Russell mentioned after the race. “However the automobile was feeling actually superior.
“We made a number of modifications from Friday night time and the tyres simply felt nice. I simply stored saying ‘I believe we are able to do the one-stop’, and the technique [team] did a very nice job.”
Hamilton led the early phases of the race after passing Sergio Perez and Charles Leclerc, however his second pit cease left him behind his group mate.
“Nicely executed to Lewis as a result of he actually managed that race and if circumstances had been barely totally different I’m certain he’d have gotten the victory,” mentioned Russell. “However a one-two for the group was such a superior outcome and such an effective way to get into the break.”
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Russell lobbied his group to permit him to remain out, even being requested by race engineer Marcus Dudley that he was certain he wished to stay out on a one-stop earlier than the group allowed him to take the chance.
“As all the time it’s a group effort,” he mentioned. “So we rolled the cube, however it was solely doable as a result of the automobile was feeling actually nice and the tempo was there. So a one-two, such an excellent outcome.”
Hamilton, who missed out on victory by half a second, agreed that Mercedes’ victory had come as a shock.
“Congratulations to George and to the group,” he mentioned. “We had such a catastrophe on Friday, the automobile was actually nowhere.
“We made some modifications – exhausting to see what it was going to really feel like, clearly, due to the moist yesterday – however the automobile was improbable at the moment. We actually owe it to everybody, each right here doing a strong job by the pit stops and technique and the fellows again on the manufacturing facility.”
Though Hamilton had a number of laps inside DRS vary of his group mate and 16-lap brisker exhausting tyres, he was unable to get shut sufficient to his group mate to take the win.
“I used to be attempting to get nearer, clearly, however George did a fantastic job on going lengthy on the tyres,” Hamilton mentioned.
“Each stint I had tyres left, however the group referred to as me in. So unlucky, however it’s a type of days.”
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