“It’s quite a nightmare” – Williams star George Russell understands the struggles of the Haas F1 team, having experienced it themselves back in 2019.
Haas has fielded an all-rookie line-up of Mick Schumacher and Nikita Mazepin this season, after letting go of Romain Grosjean and Kevin Magnussen. Considering they have the worst car on the grid, both drivers have done immensely well to finish all the five races so far, barring the Russian’s debut lap debacle in Bahrain.
Both Schumacher Jr. and Mazepin have been lapped multiple times though, something George Russell has been used to at Williams. But the Brit doesn’t pity the Haas drivers, despite calling it “quite a nightmare”.
“Yes, it’s incredibly difficult (to be over-lapped). And when you move over (after blue flags), you lose all the tyre temperature and then you don’t have any grip. It’s quite a nightmare.
“It was tough for me, but I don’t pity the Haas boys. That’s what we were two years ago.”
Russell lost rhythm at Monaco due to blue flags
Russell also faced the ignominy of being lapped once at Monaco but did well to win the ‘Battle of the Rookies’ – finishing ahead of Schumacher, Yuki Tsunoda, and Mazepin – and Williams teammate Nicholas Latifi. Williams Racing last scored an F1 point back in 2019 through the veteran Robert Kubica.
“It was such a race where I looked for the blue flags in my rear-view mirrors. I had a period of about 10 laps, I was just in the groove, it was almost like I was leading the race.
“You get into that rhythm and start flying along. But as soon as the faster cars appear behind you, you lose focus and rhythm.”
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