As soon as the Grand Prix of Singapore was running, Sir (Elton) opened John on the big stage directly behind the Marina Bay Street Circuit entitled “Saturday’s Alright for Fighting”. The fighting song went well with the show that his compatriot George Russell had previously deducted when the floodlight racing of Formula 1: from the pole position on how to win on Saturday evening, the Mercedes pilot sought his second win of the season. Unsiminated, confident, confident and one of the unwritten laws of the racing year ignoring: Whenever it is hot, the silver arrow loses its chances of success due to high tire wear. The temperatures at the equator were around 30 degrees Celsius, but Russell and his car hardly had to do more than manage to manage. The fifth place of his colleague Kimi Antonelli showed the unexpected dominance. The Singapore daily “Straits Times” raised the surprise hero of the night onto the front page and, alternatively, gave the winner the first name Victor.russell’s contract runs Ausgloria, Viktoria, which is certainly good for the 27-year-old from the German-British workshop. He has been on the go for a while, took over the leadership role in the team after the departure of colleague Lewis Hamilton, but the big breakthrough has not really worked since then. Less of his first season success in Montreal made headlines, more the discussion about whether he should not be replaced by Max Verstappen next year, second in the race. Because his contract expires at the end of the season. As usual in this industry, personnel issues are always added to doubts: Is he really the tears that the Brackley troop needs when the change of regulations is due? Can he even afford a contract poker? Does Mercedes maybe exchange him for Williams pilot Carlos Sainz Junior? The questions about the status of the contract negotiation, of which both sides officially indicated that an agreement was more or less a matter of form, became running gag in every media round. Also in Singapore. No, nothing signed yet. But of course he will know when the time has come. At the race in Singapore, George Russell’s silver arrow cannot be obtained for the competition. It’s all about details. If the contract duration is unusually not communicated, there will still be inquiries. It will mean again: for how long? It is to drive away. Just as Russell did in the start-finish victory in the 18th World Cup run. A success that is important for the market value and self -confidence. The thoughts of 2023, when he had thrown away a podium on the same route in the last round, did not burden him, they spurred on his concentration. “Today I am a completely different driver than a few years ago, a lot of complete, and I have a greater self -confidence. That’s why I now know better what I have to do under certain circumstances.” “Ready to fight the title” in the feeling of secure future, he did not feel any additional pressure in Singapore either. It felt completely natural. So it could go on if his team is able to do a similar coup as at the beginning of the hybrid era (eight constructor titles in series): “I say it is a while that I am ready to take the next step.” Russell is fourth of the World Cup class Sunday), six races before the end of the season 36 points behind the third, defending champion Max Verstappen. A decent result, one takes into account the moods of your company car, on which the engine seems to be the strongest element – after all, it has also accelerated McLaren as a feast of McLaren prematurely. A few years ago he was often too tense and exaggerated it: “Now I’m much more relaxed, even if it starts to rain heavily in Singapore one hour before the race.” More about the Thematoto Wolff was no less enthusiastic about the performance of his chauffeur: “George drives impressively this year, I could not see any mistakes. becomes more stable, a car that he can trust permanently. The sensitivities are a characteristic of the now expiring vehicle generation, as team boss Wolff admits: “These cars are surprised bags. Sometimes it depends on a few millimeters when coordinating the car.” Mercedes will continue to be dependent on the perseverance of Russell, as he has shown in the city state. At the sweaty Grand Prix, he showed the most dominant appearance of his career. He doesn’t want to speak of his best race yet. The big victory should still come.
Go to source