No contract renewal yet
The Singapore Grand Prix marks the final phase of the World Championship, with both the Drivers’ and Constructors’ titles still undecided. While McLaren could mathematically secure the championship at Marina Bay, Mercedes faces uncertainty—not due to results, but regarding George Russell’s future, as he has yet to finalize a contract renewal. “I don’t have any updates for you yet,” Russell explained at the official FIA press conference. “I think that for every driver, at a certain point in their career, things need to be done the right way. Every time you finalize a contract, it becomes the most important one of your life and must be handled carefully, but there’s nothing to worry about. We’ll finalize everything. I’m not tough in negotiations. I think it’s just a matter of finding something beneficial for me, and clearly if there’s a benefit we’ll aim for it. It’s different for each driver; obviously, some have more power and some less negotiating leverage, but there’s nothing else to say. When we have news, we’ll announce it.”
Facing the extreme heat
After finishing second in the Azerbaijan GP despite not being in optimal physical condition, George Russell is now ready for the upcoming weekend, though he must contend with the extreme temperatures that prompted Race Control to declare an Heat Hazard. “I feel better. The Baku race was really tough in terms of health conditions. I’m not yet at 100%, but I feel better. If it were another race, we wouldn’t have had the same concern. We’re in Singapore, so it’s definitely a challenge. I’ll be fine, although maybe I won’t get as much air. We’ve used the cooling kit in other races this season, but here it’s mandatory for the first time, which is good news. It’s not particularly comfortable for everyone. Some drivers handle it better than others, but over the years we might adjust. I think the concept of a suit that can cool you is important when you’re racing with 90% humidity. Inside the cockpit, it reaches 60 degrees, so it’s like a sauna in the car, and we all welcome that.”
George Russell, however, admitted he isn’t entirely comfortable with the cooling vest. “I can’t speak for other drivers, but there are tubes on the back that connect to the ones in the front and pass along the ribs. So when you go through corners at any speed with G-forces, you feel these tubes on your ribs. That was a big issue for me. Some changes were made and it improved, but there are still these tubes along the ribs, and it’s not an ideal location for that. In Singapore, there aren’t many lateral G-forces, so I don’t think it will be a huge problem.”
The favorites
Regarding likely results on this track, Russell sees two main threats. “In recent years, we’ve done reasonably well, but Ferrari has often been very strong. Two years ago they were on pole, and last year they seemed very strong up to Q3, which essentially ruined their weekend. McLaren is always extremely strong in high-degradation races on street circuits, so I expect Ferrari and McLaren to be tough to beat here.”
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