George Russell confirmed that Mercedes’ decision to swap him with teammate Kimi Antonelli after the Dutch Grand Prix was the correct one.
VSC scramble sets the stage at Zandvoort
While Russell sat on P2 and Antonelli on P4, Lewis Hamilton held the gap to the front‑running Lando Norris. A late virtual safety car when Esteban Ocon crashed gave Hamilton a chance to pit for new soft tyres on lap 56.
Mercedes faced an undercut threat from Antonelli, who had moved down in the software‑controlled strategy. The team chose to keep Russell on track instead of bringing out Antonelli, recognising he would still finish behind Hamilton.
Russell forced to back down
With the harder tires coming in, Russell struggled against Antonelli in the closing stages and was ordered to yield for the championship‑leading driver. He obeyed immediately, yet remained wary of the move as he fought for a podium.
A second VSC, later in the session, saw Russell defend third against Hamilton’s pace, enabling Mercedes to record a double podium.
Commentary from both drivers
“Kimi was ahead of me anyway, so he deserved to finish ahead,” Russell said. “If the pace and new tyre had been any faster, he would have overtaken me either way, so it was the right decision. I’m happy to stand on the podium – it’s been a strong weekend overall.”
Antonelli praised Russell’s teamwork, expressing concern over McLaren’s recent surge: “I was sliding a lot in stint two, and once Lando passed, I knew I had no chance. McLaren have made a huge step, and we need to find time if we want to win.”
The pair’s conversation highlights a clear hierarchy within Mercedes, while keeping the team on track as the season’s battles intensify.
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