© Jiri Krenek for Mercedes-Benz Grand Prix Ltd.
George Russell attended the 2023 Qatar Grand Prix Thursday Drivers’ Press Conference. Here is the full transcript!
Q: George coming to you now. More Padel here. I feel I have to start almost every conversation with a Padel conversation because it’s what seems to be going on when you arrive at a new race track.
George RUSSELL: Yeah, I think golf is out the window for most of the drivers now, it’s into Padel but it’s such a great sport and it’s good to get together and have a bit of a game before for the race.
Q: Now, I’ve just spoken about Pierre Gasly’s frustrations after the race in Japan. You struck me as a frustrated figure as well. Having debriefed with the team and spoken to Toto Wolff, how do you reflect on that race?
GR: Yeah, I think there’s not really much more to say to be honest. We were on different strategies. Obviously, when you’re in the car, and obviously, as I said, straightaway emotions are running high, it’s a long race, physical race, trying to make the one stop work but at the end of the day, we’re on different strategies. I can circle back to Miami this year when the roles were reversed and we were on different strategies and the team came in to say, let’s not hold one another up. So nothing more to say from my side.
Q: And were you happy to be on that one-stop strategy?
GR: Yeah because I think we would have finished P7 regardless, even if I was on the two-stop. It gave us a small opportunity to get a much bigger result but we knew it was definitely a long shot but I think in the position we are at the moment, in a race like that we’ve got to roll the dice and there was nothing gained, nothing lost.
Q: And this racetrack has got lots of fast corners, similar to Suzuka. So do you think you’re going to have to roll the dice again this weekend?
GR: I think the Sprint race mixes things up a little bit but for sure McLaren are going to be really quick here I think, as we saw in Suzuka. Obviously Max will be, as always, week in, week out, so that will be a challenge. Our fight is with Ferrari at the moment. P2 in the team’s championship is our goal to achieve so that’s what we’re chasing.
Q: Twenty points the difference between you and Ferrari. How intense is it? How predictable is it?
GR: I think it’s going to be close towards the end of the season. I think there’s been a lot of missed opportunities on my side this season so we should have had that sewn up already. But I’m confident we can secure that while still on the journey, putting a huge amount of emphasis on next year’s car because P2 is obviously very important but making sure we hit the ground running next season is the most important.
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QUESTIONS FROM THE FLOOR
Q: (David Croft – Sky Sports F1) It’s a question to all of you because you’ve all got views on this, I’m sure, as drivers. But there’s a possibility of an 11th team. The FIA have approved Andretti Racing but there’s a lot of hoops to go through. But as drivers do you want to see an eleventh team on the grid. Would it be better for you in terms of racing against more drivers? And would it help drivers like yourself, Liam, who might be struggling to get into Formula 1 because the seats just aren’t there at the moment?
GR: I think Formula 1’s the pinnacle and we want to see quality competition so I’m not for, I’m not against, but definitely if there were to be an extra team it’s got to be a quality outfit, one that can add to the sport. And we want to see competition, in an ideal world you want to see all ten teams fighting against one another. So I’m sure F1 will come to the best conclusion and answer whatever it may be, but we’ve got to have quality over quantity. But as I said, I don’t feel strongly.
Q: (Luke Smith – The Athletic) George, I have a question for you with your GPDA hat on. We’re here in Qatar, we’re going to be here for another ten years and obviously there are question marks over human rights and things like that during the World Cup that was a very big issue. For you, as drivers, are how do you balance up… ultimately, you are here to race and you’re paid to race wherever F1 goes but also using F1 as something to help enact positive social change and coming to countries where there maybe there does need to be a bit more change?
GR: I think, first and foremost, as drivers, we put our trust in Formula 1 to help with these decisions. It’s important that we do see change and I think change is happening. It obviously doesn’t happen overnight. It’s obviously a very important topic with many places we go to, but I think Formula 1 and sport generally can have a really positive impact for the local culture and issues that that they’re facing. So yeah, I hope we’re here for the right reasons.
Q: (Luke Smith – The Athletic) Just to follow up on that, is that something that you as a collective do talk about when you have these GPDA meetings as well and in your interactions with F1 or is it more a kind of every man for themselves, do they think individually?
GR: I think we’ve had conversations in the past. Obviously, there were the obvious issues we had in Saudi Arabia last year where we were very united with our views and our thoughts. As I said, just globally, as drivers, we are putting our faith and trust in Formula 1. I trust in Formula 1, I trust in Stefano and I do believe we’re here for the right reasons and I do believe change will be happening over time.
Source: FIA.com
