Formula 1 News: Russell Draws Inspiration from Alonso’s 2011 Masterclass to Seize Spanish Grand Prix Lead
George Russell has revealed that he took inspiration from Fernando Alonso’s blistering start at the 2011 Spanish Grand Prix to grab the lead from fourth on the grid in Sunday’s race.
The Mercedes driver was lined up alongside teammate Lewis Hamilton on the dirty side of the grid, behind front-row starters Lando Norris and Max Verstappen. However, when polesitter Norris focused on intercepting Verstappen, who had a better getaway, Russell seized the opportunity to slingshot around the outside on the long run into Turn 1, reminiscent of Alonso’s lightning start nine years ago.
Alonso’s 2011 move, where he slung his Ferrari past the front-row starting Red Bull duo of Mark Webber and Sebastian Vettel, was on Russell’s mind as he prepared for the race.
“I was dreaming about it last night and what my plan of attack was going to be,” Russell explained. “I saw the weather forecast and the wind had shifted into a headwind into Turn 1, which I knew meant I could brake really late and deep into the corner.”
Russell’s plan paid off, and his bold move earned him the lead, at least temporarily. However, Verstappen soon swooped past to take the lead, with Russell eventually finishing fourth behind Norris and Hamilton.
Despite missing out on a podium finish, Russell was satisfied with his performance, attributing his success to a calculated risk.
“I did four laps to the grid and practiced braking as late as possible on every single lap, so I knew where the limit was,” he said. “I knew how strong the wind was and I knew what was possible with the car, so it was a calculated risk. It was satisfying to pull off.”
Russell’s bid for a podium finish was hampered by a slow pit stop, which put him on the back foot for the middle stint and under pressure from Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc. The Briton was forced onto a final stint on hard tyres, while Hamilton was able to go onto the faster softs.
“There were a few small things that went against us today,” Russell reflected. “We had a slow pit stop which then put us on the back foot for the middle stint and under a bit of pressure. Then I lost a lot of time fighting with Lando and then pitting onto the hard tyre was pretty rubbish.”
Despite the disappointment, Russell remained optimistic, taking positives from the team’s promising performance over the past couple of races.
“Obviously, I felt a little bit disappointed not to be on the podium, but I was there last week and Lewis did a great job and as a team, we are taking the positives from what has been a really promising couple of races.”
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