© Getty Images for Mercedes-Benz Grand Prix Ltd.
Here is the transcript of the post 2025 Australian Grand Prix track interviews and press conference featuring George Russell!
TRACK INTERVIEWS
(Conducted by Jolyon Palmer)
Q: George Russell, a podium to start the year. I’m exhausted, having watched the race. How do you feel having driven that one?
George RUSSELL: Yeah, it was a great race to come home in P3. I just want to say a massive well done to Lando. I think in a race like that, when you’re leading, it’s probably your worst nightmare. But he did a great job. Also, really well under Kimi to come back to P5, which is a really impressive first race. For us, it wasn’t our strongest weekend, but to end up on the podium—super happy. Yeah, let’s see what we can do next week.
Q: That looked like some of the toughest conditions I’ve ever seen – a crash before the start of the race, a delayed start, crashes under safety car. How do you keep it on the island in conditions like that?
GR: Yeah, it was good fun. I was quite enjoying it, to be honest, because I was hoping the two guys ahead would make a mistake and I could slip through, but that just didn’t seem to be the case today. Really tricky, but that’s what F1’s about, and that’s what makes it exciting for us. I hope everyone enjoyed it at home.
Q: And the best start of the season that Mercedes have made since you’ve been at the team—podium, you’ve got Kimi Antonelli, your young teammate with you as well. It’s got to be confidence-boosting?
GR: Yeah, absolutely. It’s been, all things considered, a really good weekend. We know McLaren are out in front at the moment, but this was a strong result.
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PRESS CONFERENCE
Q: Alright, very well done to you. Thank you for that. George, let’s come to you now. Your best result in a season-opening race. It was very difficult conditions out there. What was the key to the podium for you?
GR: Yeah, I think just staying out of trouble, to be honest. It was pretty clear from the beginning that these guys were too quick for us, and we were quicker than Ferrari. So, I was kind of in no man’s land. I made a decision quite early on that the best way to approach this race was just to bring it home. If I risked it more, there was no extra reward on the table because they were just so far ahead. Very difficult. As Lando said, any small mistake and you’d be punished. But pleased to come home with this result because I don’t think this is probably our strongest circuit. Especially after yesterday with the hot temperatures, I was also very happy with the P4 in quali.
Q: How hard was it for you to pit on the right lap? Just talk us through the process.
GR: The process started this morning, to be honest. We had some really good conversations about how we were going to make these decisions, what they needed from me, what I needed from them. I knew the rain would be getting heavier, so it was down to me to make that decision. Similar to Lando, I made the call five seconds in advance, and the guys were ready to change the tyres. That was a key moment in the race. I’m really happy about it because these mixed-condition races—for both of us, to be honest—they’ve gone away from us in the last couple of races. When we look at Brazil last year, we both got it wrong with strategy. Also in Montreal, it kind of went away from us as well. I think now, just to be here, is a good result.
QUESTIONS FROM THE FLOOR
Q: (Michael Doyle – ABC Sport) A question for all of you. A couple of the crashes today happened in parts of the circuit that don’t have a big run-off area. In those situations – particularly the Fernando Alonso crash – would you have been happy as drivers for a red flag, or were you comfortable driving past the lorries and marshals on track?
GR: Yeah, I think it was fine.
Q: (Phil Duncan – PA) Do you think McLaren can be caught? Lando and Oscar were a long way ahead at the start of the race. Do you think it’s theirs to lose?
GR: They look pretty good and groovy at the moment. So yeah, we’ll see.
Q: (Andrew Benson – BBC Sport) Max and George, you were having a chat before Lando came in. Have you cleared the air? Is everything good between you now?
Max VERSTAPPEN: No, it’s still shockingly bad. It’s always been. Yes. I mean, it’s all good, all good.
GR: What he said.
Source: FIA.com
