F1 News: George Russell Lashes Out At Pirelli - ''Infuriating!''

Alex Harrington | Sep 16, 2024

2024 Azerbaijan Grand Prix, Sunday / LAT Images

George Russell has delivered a scathing critique of Pirelli’s tire performance following the Azerbaijan Grand Prix, labeling the situation as "infuriating." The British driver lamented the inconsistency and unpredictability of the tire compounds, which he claims significantly affected his performance during the Baku race.

Starting from P5 on the grid, the Mercedes driver found himself losing a position early on to Red Bull's Max Verstappen. However, as the race unfolded, it became evident that tire performance would play a decisive role in every driver's race. Following the race, he admitted that the shift from medium to hard tires brought about a dramatic improvement in his car’s handling, allowing him to overtake Verstappen in the latter stages of the race.

The Azerbaijan GP witnessed an intense on-track battle, compounded by a collision between Carlos Sainz and Sergio Perez in the closing laps. This incident allowed Russell to climb up the ranks and secure a P3 podium finish—a result that left the British driver bewildered. Despite the podium finish, Russell was frustrated with the performance of his tires and their inconsistencies.

"Honestly, it's actually pretty infuriating that it changes this much, and it's not just Mercedes, it's every team and every driver. One session you are fast, the next you are not. And it's only one thing that changes," Russell said post-race.

"It is black magic I think even the people that make the tires, don't understand the tires."

Russell called for a discussion to address these challenges that affect not just him, but a lot of the drivers on the grid. Obviously different cars are able to manage their tires within different windows, but there is obviously a pattern of tires falling out of their operating window quickly.

“I think we all need serious conversations about what's going on. Twenty laps of the race we had a car that was comfortable of fighting for victory; the other twenty laps we had a car that probably should not have been in the points. And the only difference is the tires.”

Reflecting on his rollercoaster experience, he reacted to his pace.

"We had a really bad start to the race. I was dropping off a lot. But on the hard tire I think we were one of the quickest out there and that was great. Got past Max. So an added bonus to stand on the podium."

Despite securing valuable points for Mercedes, Russell remains in 7th place in the drivers' standings with 143 points, trailing his teammate Lewis Hamilton, who holds the 6th position with 166 points.

2024 Azerbaijan Grand Prix Results

1. Oscar Piastri
2. Charles Leclerc
3. George Russell
4. Lando Norris
5. Max Verstappen
6. Fernando Alonso
7. Alex Albon
8. Franco Colapinto
9. Lewis Hamilton
10. Ollie Bearman
11. Nico Hulkenberg
12. Pierre Gasly
13. Daniel Ricciardo
14. Zhou Guanyu
15. Esteban Ocon
16. Valtteri Bottas
17. Carlos Sainz - DNF
18. Sergio Perez - DNF
19. Lance Stroll - DNF
20. Yuki Tsunoda - DNF