In an intense end-of-the-race battle in Singapore, George Russell suffered a heart-breaking crash while trying to push for a race win. Going into the final lap in P3, Russell could not even finish in points as he went off track, allowing teammate Lewis Hamilton to get the final podium finish. Keeping his performance in mind, Scott Mitchell-Malm noticed a weakness in the Briton’s driving, which he revealed in Spotify’s The Race F1 Podcast.
During the 2022 Canadian GP, a poor decision from Russell during the Qualifying session saw him finish in a much lower position than he should have. Throughout his career, Russell has made similar errors that end up with him missing out on points. Mitchell-Malm believes there is a pattern to these ‘mishaps,’ which Russell needs to realize and improve. This came to light once again after his disastrous end to the Singapore GP.
George Russell needs to be more concentrated when driving
Talking about an emotional Russell after the race, Mitchell-Malm pointed out how the British driver was trying to remain strong after a heartbreaking result. Russell was almost in tears, but he held them back as he tried to focus on the positives from the race. However, while Mitchell-Malm thought it was a good sign to see Russell trying to focus on the positives, he spoke on ‘The Race F1 Podcast‘ about what should be a major takeaway for the Mercedes driver.
“He knows that, for some reason, it’s possible for him to have this tiny lapse of concentration that has a, it’s a silly error, but has huge consequences. And, that has to be a takeaway from this race for him.”
Mitchell-Malm continued to praise Russell for his ability to learn from his mistakes. Should the British driver pay heed to the journalist’s words, he is most likely to come back as a stronger driver. Despite the weekend ending on a terrible note, Russell still had a great outing in Singapore, believes Mitchell-Malm.
A great weekend for Russell until the final lap of the race
Russell was the superior Mercedes driver throughout the Singapore GP weekend. He out-qualified Hamilton with ease and was a top contender for a podium finish after qualifying P2 behind Carlos Sainz. Even during the race, Russell had his strategy on point, especially with his decision to pit under the VSC.
It was an incredible finale on the streets of Singapore on Sunday 🍿
Had it not be for fine margins, it could have been George Russell who took victory in Marina Bay 👀#SingaporeGP #F1Unlocked #F1
— Formula 1 (@F1) September 18, 2023
Although it meant he would lose a couple of positions in the short term, Russell knew he could make up for lost time, given he would be on fresher medium tires once racing began. The plan was working well, too. Not only did Russell enter the podium places in the final few laps of the race, but he also had a shot at winning the race at one point. However, the glass house of dreams came crashing down in the final lap of the race when Russell lost control of his car and went off-track, bringing his weekend to a sad end.
