Russell reveals why he managed to complete the Baku weekend despite his illness

Though George Russell managed to clinch his seventh podium end of the season ultimately Sunday’s Azerbaijan Grand Prix, the Mercedes driver admitted that was “he glad after I noticed the chequered flag” after having battled by way of sickness at Baku.

George Russell endured a scrappy opening lap, however he managed to show sensible tempo on his onerous tyres, extending his first stint. The Mercedes man, who had missed all media periods earlier through the weekend because of sickness, rejoined the monitor in second place after his sole pit cease.

His team-mate Kimi Antonelli narrowly missed out on the ultimate step of the rostrum, having run nicely all day. The Italian regarded in competition for the rostrum locations, however he pitted early which can have been a mistake contemplating his team-mate’s tempo on worn tyres.

Regardless of his first podium for the reason that Hungarian Grand Prix, Russell had a troublesome weekend behind himself. The Mercedes driver missed media day on Thursday, and was excused from his media duties and the motive force briefing on Friday and Saturday so as to greatest assist his restoration throughout the weekend in Baku.

Requested how powerful it was for him to keep up his focus, the British driver mentioned: “I used to be fairly glad after I noticed the chequered flag, to be sincere. I used to be lucky — I felt a lot better right this moment than I felt on Friday and Saturday.

“So yeah, trying ahead to a little bit of relaxation now. However as I mentioned, simply pleased with the end result. And for us as a group, making an attempt to beat Ferrari within the Constructors’ was step in direction of that.

Pressed on to disclose how he managed to finish the weekend with out lacking a single apply session, Russell admitted that it might need been totally different had the sickness hit him at Singapore.

“Nicely, happily, it was Baku. Regardless that it’s one of many hardest circuits, mentally and bodily it’s possibly one of many best. So right this moment I’m a lot better. Friday and Saturday, I used to be actually tough.

“And, you realize, had it been Singapore, for instance, I feel I in all probability would have known as it a day on Friday, to be sincere, and possibly wouldn’t have achieved the race. So, yeah, form of lucky timing.

“And I haven’t been sick for a few years, really, so it simply all form of hit me without delay as of late, however I’m on the up now,” concluded the Briton.

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