The combine suffered a severe crash when Russell misplaced control of his Williams whereas attempting to overtake Bottas at the fast crimp on the run to the Tamburello chicane. Both cars were sent spearing into the barriers on the left-hand side of the track, before having a moment huge impact with the divider to the right of the circuit at the first corner.
“If I were another driver, he wouldn’t have done that”– George Russell hits on Valtteri Bottas’ ‘reckless defense’
Russell believes he is innocent and revealed where Bottas where Bottas was incorrect while the former was about to exceed him, he terms his approach as risky.
“I was coming up to Valtteri massively fast. I had the slipstream. I had the DRS. And just as I pulled out, he jolted very, very slightly to the right – which is a tactical defense that drivers in the past used to do. It was the Verstappen move of 2015,” said Russell.
“There is a gentleman’s agreement that is not what you do because it is hazardous. In arid conditions, I would have been fine, but it put me onto the wet patch, and I lost it.
“An unfortunate incident, but we’re going at 200mph. It would be best if you respected the speed and the conditions. I asked him if he was trying to kill us both. We’re going incredibly fast, and we know the conditions…”
Thanks for all the messages. I'm fine, just disappointed. At the end of the day, it's an unfortunate incident. You're entitled to defend your position. But at 330kph, you have to respect the speed and the conditions when doing so. Gutted for the team. They deserved more today.
— George Russell (@GeorgeRussell63) April 18, 2021
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Not my day today 🇮🇹🏁
Half decent shunt. No points so disappointed. Taking any positives I can from the weekend and move on!#VB77 #F1 #Imola @MercedesAMGF1
📷 @KymIllman pic.twitter.com/TNln8YypKU— Valtteri Bottas (@ValtteriBottas) April 18, 2021
“Valtteri wasn’t leaving him a whole lot of space,” said Brundle. “Russell had got a very big run on him with the DRS and the slip-stream of course.
“There was a little jink right and left from Bottas, and at that point, Russell has wandered onto the grass, the wet grass of course.
“George is going to say, ‘you veered right while I was alongside you and put me on the grass’.”
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Meantime, one-time Drivers’ Championship winner Damon Hill advised that Bottas was not solely to blame for the situation, claiming that he would never have deliberately taken the risk of causing a notable crash.
“Valtteri did move a little bit but the problem for George as he moved onto a damp bit [of grass], he was flat out, it broke traction and it took him into Valtteri’s car,” said Hill.
“These things happen when it’s slippery and wet like that.
“I genuinely think it was not an intentional move from Valtteri, he’s not that kind of driver.”
