In a thrilling turn of events, George Russell clinched a stunning victory at the Belgian Grand Prix, defying the odds with a daring one-stop strategy.
Russell, who had been trailing in the pack for most of the race, found his golden opportunity when tire degradation around Spa-Francorchamps turned out to be much lower than expected. This unexpected twist opened up a chance for a one-stop strategy, which was initially thought to be impossible.
As the frontrunners circled in DRS trains, Russell and his Mercedes team saw a window of opportunity. They calculated that stopping twice would likely place him fifth, but a single stop could secure a higher finish without any real downside. With nothing to lose, they decided to roll the dice.
Russell executed the plan flawlessly, shepherding his tires and maintaining pace to pull off the one-stop that led him to victory. “Amazing, amazing result,” Russell exclaimed. “We definitely didn’t predict this win this morning in our strategy meeting, but the car was feeling really awesome.”
He credited the successful strategy to changes made overnight and the team’s collaborative effort. “The strategy did a really great job,” he added, noting the key roles of his strategist Joey Leo and other team members.
Even Mercedes boss Toto Wolff was pleasantly surprised. “We didn’t think it was possible but at a certain stage we said let’s stay out because we’re going to finish fifth anyway in both scenarios,” he said. “He stayed out and at the end he made it work.”
Russell’s teammate, Lewis Hamilton, finished right behind him, expressing slight frustration at being committed to a two-stop strategy. “I had tires left, but the team pulled me in so… unfortunate,” he noted. Nevertheless, he acknowledged the impressive turnaround from a difficult practice session on Friday. “We had such a disaster on Friday,” Hamilton said, emphasizing the team’s remarkable recovery.
Russell’s daring strategy paid off handsomely, proving that sometimes, fortune truly does favor the bold. It was a testament to quick thinking, teamwork, and a little bit of luck.
