George Russell demands ‘serious conversations’ as Mercedes ace fuming at Azerbaijan GP

George Russell was incensed when he exited the cockpit after achieving an outstanding result in Baku.

George Russell, who called his experience with the Italian manufacturer’s rubber in Baku “infuriating,” has called for “serious conversations” regarding the performance of F1’s Pirelli tyres.

Thanks mostly to Sergio Perez and Carlos Sainz’s contact on the penultimate lap, the British driver was able to move up from fifth to third and secure an unexpected podium finish.

Still, Russell had a grudge despite the favorable outcome. He remarked, “It was such a strange race.” “We were 1.5 seconds behind the lead during the first half of the race. I was three tenths faster than Max, Checo, and Carlos and a second faster than Oscar and Charles in the last twenty laps.

We simply switched from a yellow to a white tire on the same circuit, driven by the same person, and in the same car. To be honest, the fact that it changes this much is actually rather annoying. Not just the Mercedes, but each and every driver and team as well. You’re quick in one session but slow in the next. Additionally, only one thing is altered.

Russell went on to criticize Pirelli while ranting. “I think even the people who make the tires don’t understand the tire,” he cried angrily. 2,000 people are working nonstop to deliver the fastest car, so I think it’s time for us all to have some serious conversations about what’s going on.

The only thing that separated the car that was competitive for the first twenty laps of the race from the car that probably shouldn’t have been in the points: the tires. And honestly, it’s not good enough.

Russell can still look back on a well-earned podium with major implications in the Drivers’ Championship standings, despite his understandable frustrations with the tyres.

Due to his third-place finish and Sergio Perez’s unfortunate DNF (he was running in P4 at the time of his crash), the British driver has risen to P7 in the Drivers’ Championship, surpassing the Red Bull driver.

The true losers of the Azerbaijan Grand Prix were Red Bull. Thanks to a fantastic Oscar Piastri victory, they now go to Singapore 20 points behind McLaren, having led the Constructors’ Championship by eight points going into the weekend.