In two of the three Formula 1 races won by Mercedes in 2024, George Russell crossed the finish line in first place, and even though he was later disqualified in Spa-Francorchamps, this remains the most important race for the British driver, surpassing his dominance in Las Vegas for one fundamental reason.
George Russell believes that his victory in the Belgian Grand Prix was better than his performance in Las Vegas because of the way he held off Lewis Hamilton. George Russell’s switch to a one-stop strategy halfway through the race allowed him to take the lead when Lewis Hamilton, who was ahead, decided to stick with a traditional two-stop strategy. The young Brit then held strong during the tough finish, when seven-time world champion Hamilton and McLaren’s Oscar Piastri closed in on him in the final laps.
The Mercedes W15 also performed well during another weekend with cool temperatures, that of Las Vegas. There, Russell won convincingly from pole, but when Autosport asked him which performance he was most proud of, George Russell chose Spa.
“Spa was undoubtedly the best race,” George Russell explained.
“Because in Vegas, probably the first 12 laps were the best I’ve ever done in a Formula 1 race, and from there, it was just about bringing the car home and not ruining the tires to win the race. But Belgium was a roll of the dice [on strategy].
“I knew I couldn’t make a single mistake, especially in the last two or three laps. Lewis had DRS, I had to get through the first corner because the track was so long until Turn 5, and I knew I couldn’t be too conservative because he had fresh tires and would pass me. I couldn’t shut the door and make a mistake because he would pass me, and I knew exactly how much I could push. It was a lap I’ll always be proud of.”
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