In his first wet Formula 1 race George Russell believes there “was a chance for more” than his eleventh place finish in the 2019 German Grand Prix, despite it being his best result to date.
Russell had initially finished thirteenth, one place higher than his previous best and one place behind his team-mate Robert Kubica, but gained two places following post-race thirty-second penalties for both Alfa Romeo Racing cars.
In what was his first experience of Formula 1 racing in the rain, Russell says it was “extremely challenging” and believes that amidst the chaos his Williams Racing team didn’t make the most of the opportunities available.
“It was extremely challenging,” said Russell. “It wasn’t ideal conditions for anyone out there and it was a long race.
“We should have taken slicks under the penultimate safety car, but I think we took the conservative approach when we should have maybe rolled the dice.
“There were thirteen or fourteen other drivers on the grid who didn’t do that so it’s not exactly that we made the wrong call, but we had the opportunity to make the right call.
“We kept it on the black stuff when a lot of people didn’t, and it was the best result of the year. It seems okay but there was a chance for more.”
Russell has so far this season appeared to have the better of his more experienced team-mate Kubica but it was the Pole who claimed tenth place at Hockenheim and Williams’ first point of the season.
Russell now remains alone at the foot of the drivers’ standings with zero points.
