George Russell revealed he was suffering from painful stomach cramps over the final laps of the Miami Grand Prix.
The Mercedes driver scored his fourth podium finish of the season yesterday despite admitting he felt less comfortable with his car throughout the weekend at Miami International Autodrome.
But speaking immediately after the race Russell said he was still in considerable discomfort. “The last 15 laps I got this horrendous stomach cramp and I’m struggling a lot now,” he told the official F1 channel. “I can’t stand straight, my stomach’s really causing me grief.
“I need to understand what went wrong there. I had a slightly bigger breakfast than normal so that might be the reason.”
Mercedes confirmed after the race that Russell had recovered from his cramps.
Russell moved into the final podium place after starting the race on the hard tyres while those ahead opted for mediums. After running long he was able to pit during a Virtual Safety Car period, and rejoined the track ahead of Max Verstappen and Andrea Kimi Antonelli.
While he admitted luck had been on his side, he said it was the kind of situation Mercedes hoped for with his strategy.
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“I thought there was an opportunity because we were going to be bold with the strategy,” he said. “It’s not often you see a driver in the top five start on a hard tyre.
“Obviously we were slightly fortuitous with the Safety Car but that’s how the game plays out and that’s the risk you take. Nevertheless when Kimi pitted, when Max pitted, I found three or four tenths of pace and I was in a really great place.
“I’m really proud of the result because this weekend I’ve been in a bad place, I’ve not been happy, I have not been enjoying driving this weekend, but we made it count when it mattered.”
Russell’s third place finish was thrown into doubt when Red Bull protested him for allegedly failing to slow for yellow flags. However the stewards dismissed their protest and his result stood.
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