RUSSELL TAKES MAIDEN GRAND PRIX
GEORGE Russell capped a perfect weekend by winning his maiden Formula 1 Grand Prix, as Mercedes went onetwo at Interlagos to heap the pressure on Ferrari in the race for second in the constructors’ championship.
Meanwhile, Daniel Ricciardo’s penultimate race for McLaren – and perhaps ever – lasted just one lap as the Australian crashed out of the Sao Paulo Grand Prix on Monday.
Ricciardo tapped the rear of Kevin Magnussen’s Haas at turn eight, sending the Danish driver into a spin that ended with him crashing back into the McLaren and finishing the race of both drivers on the opening lap.
It was the first of three significant incidents in the early throes of the race in Brazil, with Max Verstappen and Lewis Hamilton coming together at the ensuing safety car restart and Charles Leclerc sent into the wall by Lando Norris soon after.
Starting on pole having won Sunday’s sprint race, Russell led from start to finish in Brazil – seeing off teammate Hamilton’s late challenge to mark a memorable maiden win in Formula 1.
“What an amazing feeling – just a huge thank you to the whole team for making this possible. It’s been an emotional rollercoaster this season,” Russell said.
“I felt in control. Lewis was super-fast and when I saw the safety car I thought, ‘oh Jesus, this is going to be a really difficult ending’. He put me under so much pressure but I’m just so happy to come away with the victory.”
Birthday boy Norris’s race ended on lap 55 when his car rolled to a stop with an electrical issue, bringing out another safety car and Hamilton to the rear of teammate Russell for an explosive 10 laps of racing between the two Mercedes.
Sergio Perez tumbled down the order after the safety car restart, passed by both Ferraris, the Alpine of Fernando Alonso and his Red Bull teammate Verstappen – who was told to hand the position back to Perez but refused.
Mercedes moved within 19 points of Ferrari.