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[SDGT3]

I'm seeing a pattern develop from both Mercedes drivers and Toto.... whenever they have a set back or bad day, they say "they could have contested Max for a win." I've heard this now about 4-5 times this season.... My question is: "When have they every contested for a win even when they've had the best of days?
This is why I love the Mercedes F1 team... they haven't been relevant since the end of 2021, but that doesn't stop them from making headlines. Someone tell Georgie that "the reason" things looked as close as they did is because Max was driving so slow, that his team told him to pick up the pace. Of all the drivers, Max was the only one to not have a track limit violation because he was driving so slowly.

Russell says collision with Hamilton cost Mercedes chance to fight Verstappen
Formula 1

Posted on9th October 2023, 11:52 | Written by Keith Collantine and Claire Cottingham

George Russell says the first lap collision between he and Mercedes team mate Lewis Hamilton cost them the chance to challenge Max Verstappen for victory in the Qatar Grand Prix.


The two Mercedes drivers tangled when Hamilton tried to go around the outside of Russell and Verstappen at the first corner of the race.
Hamilton’s race was ended by the collision and it forced Russell to pit for repairs. He eventually recovered to finish in fourth place.

However Russell said he sees no reason why he would not have been able to challenge Red Bull driver Verstappen had he not collided with his team mate at the start. He pointed out that McLaren’s Oscar Piastri was able to finish within five seconds of Verstappen having moved up to second place on lap one.

“We believe that we were on pace or, if not, faster than McLaren,” said Russell. “And seeing that Piastri finished so close to Max was really quite surprising.”