Fernando Alonso‘s start at the 2011 Spanish Grand Prix was unforgettable, moving from P4 to lead the race in just a few corners. Thirteen years later, George Russell did something very similar.
Russell began from fourth place and swiftly took the lead at the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya, holding his ground around turn 1 with an impressive move. After the race, he shared his thoughts on that remarkable first lap.
Russell got the start he was ‘dreaming of’
“I was channelling my inner Alonso,” Russell said about his opening lap. “That was such an iconic start. I knew there would be a big headwind into that corner. I knew I could brake really deep and catch them off guard. I sort of dreamt about it last night but didn’t think it would actually happen like this.”
Sadly for Russell, he couldn’t maintain his lead or even secure a podium finish. Max Verstappen overtook him on lap 3, and a poor strategy call to switch to hard tyres allowed Lando Norris and Lewis Hamilton to pass him too. He ended up finishing in P4, ahead of both Ferraris.
Fans might think this is just part of racing’s unpredictability.
Despite not winning, Russell sees positive signs in Mercedes’ progress and aims for better results at the Austrian Grand Prix: “We’ve been fighting for front rows and podiums for a few races now. It’s exciting to see our progress, and I believe we can build on this.”
What do you think? Can Russell make it to the podium next time?
