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“George Russell Criticizes FIA Delay After Chaotic Baku Podium Finish”

George Russell has expressed his surprise and disappointment at the FIA’s delayed decision to deploy the Virtual Safety Car (VSC) following a high-speed crash in the closing stages of the Azerbaijan Grand Prix. The Mercedes driver, who secured a third-place finish, criticized the FIA’s response time after a collision between Ferrari’s Carlos Sainz and Red Bull’s Sergio Perez on the penultimate lap. The incident occurred between turns two and three of the Baku City Circuit after Sainz overtook Perez for third position at turn one.

The crash ultimately allowed Russell to move up to the final podium spot, but it left him concerned about the delay in neutralizing the race. Describing the moment he encountered the debris from the crash, Russell highlighted the danger it posed to the drivers still racing at full speed.

“I was driving flat out into a wall of carbon fiber on the penultimate lap, which was pretty crazy,” Russell said after the race. “With the sun going down, visibility was really poor, and you couldn’t see anything. I was shocked that the Safety Car or VSC wasn’t deployed sooner. The car could’ve been anywhere on the track, and it was a really dangerous situation. I’m just thankful that everyone involved was okay.”

The FIA’s decision to delay the VSC meant that some drivers were able to continue racing through the debris, benefiting from the opportunity to make up positions. Lewis Hamilton and Oliver Bearman took advantage of the situation to pass Nico Hülkenberg, moving into ninth and tenth places, respectively. However, the race ultimately concluded under VSC conditions, with the caution staying in place after the chequered flag.

Despite the chaotic ending, Russell was pleased with his podium finish, which marked his second of the season. He acknowledged the hard work of his Mercedes team throughout a challenging weekend, which included engine changes for both him and his teammate, Lewis Hamilton.

“It’s been a tough weekend for everyone at Mercedes,” Russell said. “There was so much hard work—engine changes on both cars, so much going on behind the scenes. I’m really proud of the team for everything they’ve done.”

Russell’s race was far from smooth, particularly in the early stages. He admitted to struggling off the line and losing several positions. However, his pace improved significantly on the hard tires, allowing him to climb back through the field.

“We had a really poor start; I was dropping back quite a bit,” Russell said. “But once we got onto the hard tire, we were one of the fastest cars on the track. That was a real positive for us. Overtaking Max [Verstappen] was a bonus, and to end up on the podium after all that was fantastic.”

While pleased with the result, Russell remained realistic about Mercedes’ performance, pointing out that the unusual circumstances of the race played a significant role in his podium finish.

“We’ve got to stay grounded. In normal circumstances, we should have finished fifth today—that’s where our pace really was,” Russell said. “But I’ll take this result and hopefully, we can have a better weekend in Singapore.”

As the team shifts its focus to the next race in Singapore, Mercedes will be looking to build on its recent momentum and continue climbing the Constructors’ Championship standings. With Russell’s and Hamilton’s solid form, they aim to challenge their rivals for more podium finishes in the upcoming races.