Russell glad to walk away unhurt from ‘scary’ crash

Britain’ s George Russell relived the “scary” moment a wheel came hurt ling towards him at 125 mph during yesterday’s Belgian Grand Prix.

Russell, the 22-year- old from Norfolk who is tipped to be a future world champion, was in the wrong place at the wrong time, having just navigated the F agnes Chi cane when AntonioGiov in azzi lost control of his Alfa Romeo.

The Italian slammed into the wall, his car breaking into pieces, before his rearleft tyre was sent flying at an unsuspecting Russell.

Russell took evasive action by turning left but could do nothing to avoid hitting the errant wheel. The Williams driver ended up in the barrier on the opposing side of the circuit.

Twelve months after Ant ho in eHu bert–a former team-mate of Russell’s – was killed here during a Formula Two race, the sport held its breath once again as the grizzly crash scene was projected on television screens.

But mercifully, both Russell andGiov in azzi emerged unscathed from their wrecked machines. A breathless Russell reported on the radio :“I had nowhere to go.”

Speaking in the hours after his harrowing accident, a relieved Russell added: “It was scar y for a split-second to have this massive rear ty re flying towards me. It is certainly the most dramatic incident in my Formula One career and the biggest crash I have had.

“I was unfortunate that the tyre hit my car, but it could have hit a marshal or some - one in the crowd. F1 has taken massive steps on safety, but this is something that needs to be improved.”

The heart-stopping incident took place on lap ten, less than an hour after an emotional one-minute silence had been st aged to mark Huber t’s death – the Frenchman who was killed following a four-car pile-up at the fearsome Eau Rouge corner.