Russell: I have to pilot more consciously.
In the last stage in Silverstone, George Russell reduced his deficit in the personal standings from Kimi Antonelli to 25 points. On Thursday in Spa, the Mercedes driver mentioned that he had to change his driving style due to the characteristics of the new generation car, and this affected his results in the first half of the season.
George Russell: "It's great that the gap has narrowed, but I don't really think about it. My task is to achieve the best possible result and show the highest level.
To be honest, at each stage we are still learning a lot and continue to look for extra speed. We are still figuring out the new power units, cars, and tires, but I feel I am in a good position.
In any car, you naturally adapt your driving style as needed. When I raced in Formula 4, Formula 3, Formula 2, and in Formula 1 for Williams, and then in the previous generation cars, my style generally matched the requirements of all those cars. However, this year we have seen a number of characteristics that my style doesn't quite fit yet in terms of working with the power unit and tires.
As a result, I have to set up the car in ways I have hardly set it up before. Because of this, I have to drive the car more consciously, rather than relying on reflexes, and that is also a downside in some sense. So I hope that I will get through this learning phase now, after which I can use the knowledge gained to my advantage.
It's probably similar to a golfer who changes their swing technique. At first, they may struggle a bit, then they relearn the new technique, and after that, they play better. I think I am currently at a similar stage."
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Russell: I have to pilot more consciously.
George Russell said that he had to change his driving style due to the characteristics of the new generation car, and this affected his results in the first half of the season.