George Russell was ‘shocked’ by the FIA’s decision not to instantly call out the safety car following a penultimate lap crash at the Azerbaijan Grand Prix.
The Mercedes driver eventually finished the race in third, gaining two positions when Sergio Perez and Carlos Sainz crashed out.
Their collision took place after Sainz passed Perez for third at turn one and the pair continued their battle down the straight.
Naturally, Perez attempted to reclaim the position in to the first DRS zone, but the two cars collided, sending both into the barriers.
Double-waved yellow flags were shown almost immediately after the crash. However, the VSC was not deployed until over a minute later.
Russell described the moment he came upon the wreckage as one of the most challenging parts of his race, criticizing the delay in neutralizing the situation.
“I was driving full gas into a wall of carbon fiber on the penultimate lap. That was pretty crazy,” Russell said after the race.
“The sun was coming down, and you couldn’t see anything. I was shocked the Safety Car or VSC didn’t come out sooner… the car could’ve been anywhere. I’m just glad everyone was okay.”
The race ultimately finished under VSC conditions, with the caution remaining in place after the chequered flag.
Despite the chaotic end, Russell was pleased to secure third place, his second podium finish of the season, after a challenging weekend for Mercedes.
“There was so much hard work this weekend for everybody in the team,” Russell explained.
“We had engine changes on my side, engine changes for Lewis—so much going on. Everybody worked incredibly hard.
”Mercedes now look ahead to the next round in Singapore, hoping to build on their recent form and continue their push in the constructors’ standings.”
