George Russell says Sergio Perez should weigh “risk versus reward” when doing “a bold move” which he has also done “with Lando last year”, and “with Valtteri yesterday”.
Sergio Perez and George Russell’s cars had made contact at Turn 4 on lap 1 of the Austrian Grand Prix, while Perez was trying to overtake the Briton around the outside.
This put the Mexican in the gravel and George received a five-second penalty. However, Russell doesn’t think the penalty was deserved.
“I’ve looked at the video and I think it’s harsh,” the Briton said.
“You are racing at the start, cars are everywhere. Checo did do a bold move going around the outside like that.
“Obviously he’d done it before, he did it with Valtteri yesterday and Valtteri had to get right on top of the kerb to avoid him, which is exactly what I tried to do.
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“But with Carlos ahead of me there’s only so much you can brake and so much you can steer, and ultimately I had nowhere to go. Sorry to him to end his race.
“There was probably more room on the outside for him, and as I said I was doing everything I could.
“And as soon as he got to a certain point I knew it was inevitable, because I was already at the limit of my car.
“So, it’s risk versus reward and he had this with Lando last year, it was very close with Valtteri yesterday.
“The move with me today was exactly the same as these other two, so it was one of them,” George concluded.