George Russell revealed that he witnessed a fierce battle between Max Verstappen and Lando Norris during the Austrian Grand Prix. The race was undoubtedly one of the most exciting of the 2024 Formula 1 season. Just when it seemed like Verstappen was on his way to another victory, disaster struck when he collided with Norris. Russell emerged as the lucky winner of the race and acknowledged that he saw the intense competition unfold firsthand.
Russell expressed his surprise at winning the race. The British driver admitted that it was a challenging competition as he continued to face Verstappen and Norris. At the time of the incident between the race leaders, Russell was only a few seconds ahead of second-place Piastri.
During the race, Russell revealed that he was watching the battle between Verstappen and Norris on the big screens. He witnessed Norris attempting a late overtake for the lead, which ultimately resulted in a major incident up front. However, Russell praised Mercedes for capitalizing on the situation and securing their first victory since 2022.
Max Verstappen had established a comfortable lead over Norris with just over 10 laps remaining. However, a late pit stop allowed Norris to close the gap to just two seconds behind the Dutch driver. Eventually, the two engaged in a fierce battle for the lead, with Russell trailing about 12 seconds behind in third place.
Russell admitted that he was surprised to find himself so far behind the race leaders before the incident occurred. He stated that he always expects something to happen up front, giving him the opportunity to fight for the win. That wish came true for George Russell in his second Formula 1 career victory at the Austrian Grand Prix.
Russell and Mercedes are excited to end the winning drought in Formula 1. However, it is evident that the Silver Arrows do not have the pace to be true contenders for victories. Therefore, George Russell and his team will be seeking to make further improvements in the upcoming races.