George Russell was bemused by Charles Leclerc’s driving on the first lap of the Austrian Grand Prix as he fought with the two Ferrari drivers.
The Mercedes driver passed Leclerc’s team mate Lewis Hamilton at the first corner and fought with him over the rest of the first lap until the Safety Car was deployed. Russell appeared to benefit from Leclerc’s slipstream as they accelerated out of turn three until the Ferrari driver moved over to give his team mate a tow.
Leclerc then took the inside line for turn four which delayed Hamilton and allowed Russell to attack again on the outside. Hamilton was able to attack him back and regain his position on the outside of turn six, at which point the race was neutralised.
“I was so confused with Leclerc there, if he was trying to help me or Lewis,” Russell told his race engineer Marcus Dudley as they backed off.
The Ferrari driver, who had already lost a position to Oscar Piastri at the first corner, appeared to be distracted by a message from his race engineer, Bryan Bozzi, during his scrap with Russell and Hamilton. Bozzi quickly told Leclerc “K2 off” as he approached turn four on the first lap.
“Come on, the K2 off, guys, leave me managing it while I’m fighting,” Leclerc told him during the Safety Car period. “Then you can speak as much as you want when I’m not fighting, but not when I am fighting.”
Russell was unable to pass Hamilton when the race restarted and accused his former team mate of changing his line as they approached turn four. “Lewis closed the door on the braking,” said Russell, but the stewards took no interest.
But failing to pass either of the Ferraris at the start likely made no difference to Russell’s race. He dropped back quickly and finished fifth, over 40 seconds behind Leclerc.
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