Russell was impeccable at Interlagos, the promise he has shown in his short career emphatically confirmed with a win that means so much to him and his Mercedes team. “This is just the beginning guys,” he said, a prediction that’s hard to argue with after a stellar performance. Head in hands and visibly overcome, he admitted, “I’m going to need tissues,” as he was overcome with emotion. It was an achievement sportingly acknowledged by Hamilton who was second ahead of Ferrari’s Carlos Sainz. “Huge congratulations to George, he drove an amazing race and he deserved it,” he said. Russell started from pole and was peerless at the front, but had benefited from eternal F1 rivals Max Verstappen and Hamilton, who tangled with each other again after him. The pair collided early in the race, sending them onto the field with Verstappen penalized for causing the incident. He let Russell dictate in the open air and rode a string of inch perfect laps to keep his lead intact until the final third when he was really made to work for it. With Hamilton back on the field, the pair were one and two, shut down after a delayed safety car and Mercedes made it clear they were free to race. The tension was palpable, the pressure immense and the slightest mistake would have cost Russell victory, but he was relentless. He had 12 laps to run, metronomic and fast. Fastest lap followed fastest lap and even Hamilton couldn’t challenge him. With ice in his veins and the composure of a future champion, Russell took the win without hesitation, which would no doubt make it even more memorable after a long journey to reach the top step. This, his 81st race in his fourth year in F1 having spent the previous three at Williams, was a huge result for the 24-year-old from King’s Lynn who had come to racing after following his brother to kart meetings and driving his car with pedal. around the paddock. He grew up admiring Hamilton and in Brazil he showed the skill, composure and precision in execution that the seven-time champion has shown so often in the past. Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff is convinced Russell is a future world champion in waiting and at Interlagos those credentials were on display. The win is all the more remarkable given that it comes after a brutal season where the non-competitive Mercedes was not only off the pace, but a handful to drive and extremely demanding due to the bounces and seals it suffered through for most of it. year. . Russell and Lewis Hamilton hug after the race. Photo: Amanda Perobelli/Reuters Getting it out of the bag was very much against the odds, then, and it was proof that Russell and his team were trying to get the most out of the car in every situation this year. They did so with all the skill they displayed when enjoying periods of dominance, a testament to their operational precision, clearly undiminished by a difficult year. It’s been a while for Mercedes. This is their first win for 21 races, their longest winless run since the turbo-hybrid era began in 2014. Hamilton last won for the team at the 2021 Saudi GP and they wanted something positive, a trophy to take them away from this season. In this penultimate race of the year, Russell delivered. The result is huge in terms of morale as the team looks ahead to next season, with Red Bull already securing the driver and manufacturer double this year. It’s a monkey off their back, then, but the moment belongs to Russell, a memorable achievement and surely only the first of many to come. Charles Leclerc was fourth for Ferrari, Fernando Alonso and Esteban Ocon were fifth and eighth for Alpine. Verstappen and Sergio Pérez were sixth and seventh for Red Bull, Valtteri Bottas ninth for Alfa Romeo and Lance Stroll tenth for Aston Martin.
