© LAT Images for Mercedes-Benz Grand Prix Ltd
George Russell says “if we’ve got to sacrifice some races” or the whole season, “to get a car that can fight”, “maybe that’s what we’re going to have to do”.
After a difficult Bahrain Grand Prix, George Russell said Mercedes was “helpless” in the race.
“We had a good battle at points but both of us were on the back foot and were helpless when you are lacking a couple of tenths compared to the cars around you,” the Briton told Sky Sports F1.
“You are trying your best to battle with them but you can’t hold them up. I think Fernando and Lance were really strong.
“Carlos was maybe on a slightly more level playing field but it was just a really difficult race for us.”
Asked if he had any regrets, George said:
“I think probably making a better race start. Lewis and I were on a similar strategy and I think perhaps if I was ahead of him at the end of lap one I could have ended where he was just because of how things were.
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“P5, P7, P6, we don’t really mind and don’t really care. We are here to fight for victories and we are a long way from that. We need to hit the drawing board and see where we go from here.”
George later suggested that Mercedes should possibly sacrifice the whole season to be able to develop a competitive car.
“We’re here to win and we obviously want to optimise every single result. But if you give me a choice between fighting and having a chance to win races whenever that is, versus slow progress and never having that chance, you obviously choose taking those victories.
“So if we’ve got to sacrifice some races or part of a season to give ourselves a chance to get a car that can fight, whether it’s the second half of the season or even if it’s looking towards next year, maybe that’s what we’re going to have to do because clearly we are a long way behind,” Russell concluded.
