Russell explains pit exit spin: ‘I took too much risk because I saw a chance to win’ | Formula 1
George Russell finished fourth at the Brazilian Grand Prix after a costly error in the pit lane. While running third on lap 17, the Mercedes driver spun while exiting the pits during a transition to slick tires, losing approximately 16 seconds and falling behind several competitors.
Russell admitted he pushed too hard in pursuit of a potential race win. Because of the time lost, he opted to extend his stint on slicks rather than stop again, which ultimately returned him to his previous track position.
Despite the incident, Russell expressed satisfaction with his overall pace, noting that his performance on soft tires was strong throughout the weekend. He had qualified second but started seventh due to an engine penalty, and he believes he could have secured pole position had he not been told to abort his final qualifying run.
