Big Chance For George Russell To Return To Winning Ways

George Russell last won a Formula 1 Grand Prix at Austria, which, if you now think about it, was a quarter of a year back in the day. But then, who says things can’t change quickly in the topsy turvy world of F1 racing? A few hours ago, it wasn’t a Ferrari, which was the case last year here, or a Red Bull or even a McLaren that topped the speed charts in the decisive moments at the Las Vegas Grand Prix.

It was George Russell in his rampant Mercedes who found the sweet spot of the Silver Arrows in the dying moments of Q3. Resultantly, he would set a ballsy 1:32:312 in Q3 when it most mattered and in so doing, shatter any advantage that either of the two Ferrari drivers (Charles Leclerc and Carlos Sainz jr) had in claiming a pole.

And what a fantastic pole position it was.

It could be argued that George Russell came good when least expected. And with Leclerc suddenly outpaced by his teammate lead to a situation where just about anybody could’ve dominated the final standings, the relentless pace of the Mercedes commandeered by George Russell came to the party.

What the popular Briton would do well to remember is that he is still just barely ahead of Carlos Sainz jr. of Ferrari, a recent Formula 1 Grand Prix winner as seen at Mexico. And yet, the Spaniard bagged second and would be mindful of the fact that he will have to withstand enormous pressure from Pierre Gasly in Alpine in third to have a chance to perform at the Las Vegas Grand Prix. And this may lead to a possibly interesting and closely fought battle out at the pointed end of the F1 grid with Russell versus Sainz versus Gasly being the clear dominant fight.

At least, that seems a likely case in the initial stages of the 2024 Las Vegas Grand Prix. What happens from that point onward might depend on how George Russell controls the proceedings being the holder of the track position.

Not only was his pole his fourth in his overall career but a first at Las Vegas, a track that is primed to stay on at the venue for the next few years.

But then George Russell would also be keen to reflect on the fact that back in the day, when he had done all the hard work to claim victory at Spa-Francorchamps, home to the Belgian Grand Prix, it was cruelly taken away from him owing to a weight infringement with that Mercedes; the car’s weight, completely unbeknownst to the man from King’s Lynn was not up to the mark as per the FIA rules and regulations.

In the end, the man who had worked so hard was simply disqualified from the Grand Prix itself.

This time around, the pole sitter, who stunned Ferrari and with it, even Red Bull and McLaren as seen a few hours back at the Las Vegas strip would be keen to outperform his rivals as well as his critics alike.

For that, it will take something special from the massively talented man, one on whose shoulders rests the big future of a team as formidable as Mercedes.