George Russell says Max Verstappen will back up the pack if he retains his lead at the start of the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, but that the title fight is over if Lando Norris gets into first place.
Verstappen starts from pole position with Norris second at Yas Marina Circuit, with Norris able to win the title with a podium finish. Verstappen needs to win the race and have Norris outside the top three to retain his crown, and Russell expects the race to take on a different complexion depending on who gets the better start.
“I mean, if we finish lap 1 in the order we start the race, then definitely he’s [Verstappen] not just going to drive off into the distance and hand Lando an easy podium,” Russell said. “But everything can change after lap 1.
“If Lando makes a good start, if he leads, the championship’s done and dusted. We’re not at the pace, but I’m confident there’ll be opportunities.
“I think backing up the pack on a street track, as an example, is a very normal thing to do. Singapore, you control the pace and then you try and extend the gap around the pit stops. So, you don’t need to drive like a hooligan or dangerously to do that. You can just manage by three or four tenths more, and that will condense the pack.
“At some tracks, you can easily drop half a second or a second at certain points without being dangerous, without causing risk to yourself. So, yeah, you’d expect him to be doing that.”
Russell – who qualified fourth – had been angling from some help of his own to improve his grid position, having seen Yuki Tsunoda give Verstappen a tow on the first runs of Q3. Russell requested Mercedes get him behind Verstappen on track for when the Dutchman wasn’t on a flying lap, as he expected a tow might be offered up to try and get another car ahead of the McLarens.
“Well, it was more of a hint to Red Bull on their pit wall to sort of consider it!” he said. “Because obviously Max went early in Q3 run one, so he kind of was in a position to do that, and they obviously need somebody in the mix.”
