George Russell reflects on pit-exit spin as Mercedes clinch Constructors’ Championship in Sao Paulo

By Vancouver Television Sports Desk

George Russell missed out on a podium position at the Sao Paulo Grand Prix after a spin on exit from the pit lane during Sunday’s 71-lap race at the Autódromo José Carlos Pace. Starting from P7 due to a five-place grid penalty tied to an Internal Combustion Engine (ICE) change, Russell moved up to fourth early in the wet before the incident on slick tyres derailed his progress.

Russell said that, despite recovering without damage, he lost several positions after the spin. He later charged through the field and was the first Mercedes driver to switch back to intermediate tyres when rain returned in the closing stages, ultimately bringing his car home in fourth.

The finish also carried immediate championship consequences. Mercedes secured the Constructors’ Championship for the first time since 2021, a milestone Russell linked to the work the team has done since he joined in 2022. “An incredible achievement from everyone in the team,” Russell said. “We had four tough years, and to come through and take the championship is really, really great.”

Russell was candid about his own race moment, adding, “Obviously, it was a bit of an up-and-down race. I have no idea what happened on that pit exit. I probably just took too much risk, because I was seeing an opportunity to go for the win at that point, but it happened.” He also reflected that the timing of the spin influenced his tyre strategy, saying he did not pit for another set of slick tyres afterwards, which “kind of put me back in the same position as I was before the incident.” He emphasized that sealing the championship remained the key outcome: “The most important [thing] is we got the championship sealed.”

Russell’s fourth-place result placed him third in the drivers’ standings, 17 points behind Max Verstappen. The Brazilian Grand Prix also saw Verstappen surge from P21 to second during the race. While Russell missed the rostrum, he said he was encouraged by Mercedes’ overall pace heading into the next campaign, describing the weekend as “very positive” and naming performance rather than position as his priority before another title bid in 2027. He added that he was “probably more happy coming away from the weekend” because the car delivered strongly—particularly on the soft tyre—despite the mistake that changed the outlook on the day.

At the chequered flag, Mercedes credited team strategy and track position in part through Russell being allowed ahead by team mate Kimi Antonelli, enabling both cars to remain in the points as Mercedes clinched the teams’ title.