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George Russell was the biggest winner out of the late safety car debacle that took place at the 2026 British Grand Prix, but still believes that Ferrari made the “right decision” by pitting Lewis Hamilton.
The decision ended up scuppering the Prancing Horse’s chances of securing their first one-two since the 2024 United States GP, with the Ferrari pit wall banking on a final lap shootout as they called Hamilton in for fresh tyres with less than a handful of laps to go.
How has the British Grand Prix changed your outlook on the F1 title race?
The nine-time British Grand Prix winner was furious with the decision, later telling journalists in the post-event press conference, “I assumed in stopping, we would be holding position. If they told me, ‘You’re stopping, and you’re losing position,’ I wouldn’t have done it.”
Not only did it ruin Ferrari’s hopes of clinching a one-two, but it also hindered Hamilton’s championship challenge. Russell gained an extra three points to add to his tally, with his compatriot now 10 points behind in the F1 standings.
However, Russell is under the impression that Ferrari made the right call as he sympathised with his former teammate.
- READ MORE: Lewis Hamilton gives icy five-word response to losing second place after Ferrari strategy error
George Russell says Ferrari made the ‘right decision’ to pit Lewis Hamilton during British GP
Speaking via the Nu Silver Arrows Radio Show, the Briton was asked to recall how it felt at the moment he realised that a maiden podium at his home Grand Prix had been secured.
“I must say it was strange emotions because I felt that a good result and a deserving result was potentially third place behind Kimi and Charles,” Russell replied. “Then obviously Kimi was very unfortunate with what happened, and then Max had his issue.
“Lewis pitted under the safety car, which I think was probably the right decision. Whatever you do in that situation, if you don’t pit and it restarts, you’d be kicking yourself, asking, ‘Why didn’t I pit?’ If you do pit, you lose a position.
What do you make of Ferrari’s call to pit Lewis Hamilton under the late safety car?
“To then get back up to second, it was quite a strange emotion. It felt like the whole race had gone against us, and then suddenly I’ve been thrown back up into second place through nothing we really did. Right place, right time.”
Russell then closed out his words on the result by highlighting how he was due a change in fortunes after a difficult few months, adding, “That’s just how seasons often go.
“That’s why I didn’t really lose faith early in the season when everything sort of seemed to be going against us; it always turns. It was a special moment to be up there.”
George Russell also shared his immediate reaction to puncture during British GP
As the seven-time Grand Prix winner alluded to, the tide was against him at the midway point of the race. After a brief battle with Max Verstappen for P3, Russell’s race engineer, Marcus Dudley, told him that a slow puncture had been spotted in his data.
Asked for his immediate reaction to the news, Russell said, “I didn’t even really react because we’ve had our fair share of bad luck this year. When that slow puncture came, I was just overtaking Max for P3 and then it was like, ‘Here we go again.’
“But if somebody told me, as I drove out the pit in P7 behind Hadjar, that we were going to finish second, 14 laps later, I’d have thought there’s no way this is possible.
“Unless it was going to pour down with rain, I didn’t even comprehend those events. But that’s the sport. You’ve just got to keep on pushing and never give up.”
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