George Russell finished second in the F1 US GP Sprint Race after qualifying fifth, navigating a dramatic opening corner to climb the order. The Mercedes driver had not shown the strongest pace earlier in the weekend, finishing seventh in FP1, but he maximized his opportunities in the Sprint Race to secure a podium finish.
Chasing Verstappen
After climbing to second, Russell immediately set his sights on the race leader, Max Verstappen. By Lap 7, he was closing in and looking for an opportunity to overtake. On Lap 8, he attempted a brave lunge down the inside of Turn 12, forcing both Verstappen and himself slightly wide.
Commenting on the move in the post-race interview, Russell said, “Yeah, I knew you don’t get many opportunities with Max, so I saw half a chance and sent it. I was probably too far behind, glad I gave it a go. P2 for sure was better than we expected, and yeah, some decent points.”
Turn one drama
Looking back at the opening lap, Russell reflected on the chaos at Turn 1 from his point of view.
“I mean, I was on the outside and I fully sent it and then realized everyone on the inside fully sent it as well. Carlos and I were like don’t think that’s gonna end too nicely,” Russell maneuvered around the pack to avoid debris and emerged in second place after starting fifth. “And then, yeah, obviously I have not seen it, I only saw it from my perspective, but it looked like it was sort of three cars into one, which doesn’t often go.”
The incident ended in retirement for Lando Norris, Oscar Piastri, and Fernando Alonso.
A satisfying result
Russell’s second-place finish marks another strong performance for the Mercedes driver, following his recent win at the Singapore Grand Prix. This result gives him momentum and confidence heading into the U.S. GP qualifying and main race. Russell will be looking to claim another victory in the remaining six races of the 2025 F1 season.
