Today's post-race press conference with George Russell, Lewis Hamilton and Oscar Piastri.

Track Interviews - Conducted by Guenther Steiner

Oscar, It's a fantastic result, your third, you know. I mean, again, a podium, you keep on bringing them. Did you think you can get the Mercedes after the last stop?
Oscar Piastri: Honestly, yes, I thought I could, but I mean, clean air was such a big difference today. Once I got a little bit of clean air in the middle stint, I picked up a lot of pace and managed to get a nice tyre delta for the last stop, but clearly, you didn't need tyre delta, you just needed to keep going, as George showed. So, no, happy with the result. I think we managed the race very well. I think that's the second or third time this year we've tried to run over the front jack, so I'll try not to do that next time. But, no, very happy with the results, and I don't think we could have done too much more.

What was missing in the end not to get to P1? What do you think? Was it strategy? Was it the speed? What was it?
OP: I think just not quite enough speed. I think it took me a couple of laps to get past Charles and I really overheated the tyres doing that. But, yeah, I mean, clearly the pace for George staying out there on one set of Hards was the right thing to do. So we just didn't quite have enough pace to mow him down. Even Lewis, you know, didn't quite have enough. I think we did a lot of things right, gave ourselves the best opportunities we could, but in the end, it wasn't quite enough.

It must be a good feeling to go into the summer break with a podium and getting ready for afterwards. How do you feel about the next races coming up?
OP: Positive. Yeah, I mean, it's been a really good couple of weeks for myself and the whole team, of course. You know, a lot of points. You know, we still made inroads on Red Bull today, and that's a really positive thing going into the break. I think everyone's looking forward to a bit of a break. I know I am, so I can heal up a little bit. But, no, it's been a fun couple of weeks and looking forward to some time relaxing and coming back even stronger in the second half.

Lewis, congratulations on P2. You know, it's a fantastic result for Mercedes, 1-2. I mean, did you expect this starting the race or starting the weekend?
Lewis Hamilton: No, we definitely didn't. And, I mean, first I have to say congratulations to George and to the team. No, we had such a disaster on Friday. The car was really nowhere, and we made some changes. Hard to see what it was going to feel like, obviously, because of the wet day yesterday, but the car was fantastic today, and we really owe it to everyone, both here, doing a solid job through the pit stops and strategy, and the guys back at the factory.

Yeah, as I said, it was a fantastic race. How tough were the last laps behind George? How much were you tempted to attack and to try to do it?
LH: I mean, I was trying to get closer, obviously, but George did a great job on going long on the tyres. Every stint, I had tyres left, but the team pulled me in. So, you know, yeah, unfortunate, but it is one of those days.

You must be pumped up now for what is coming after the summer break because your car, your team is performing very good in the moment, not only now but the last races. Do you think you can go for the championship?
LH: No. It would be high hopes. But, I mean, if we can continue this kind of performance as we've had the last few races, which has been fantastic, I think if we can start our weekends off a little bit better, hopefully we can continue. I think, obviously, the McLaren was very strong today, but we were just a bit further ahead early on. But, yeah, we've just got to keep pushing.

Congratulations and enjoy the summer break. Congratulations, George. I'm almost speechless, you know, from your race. I mean, that takes a lot. But anyway, a race with three cars at the end within 1.1 seconds, fighting every little bit. So how tough was it in the end to hold off Lewis?
George Russell: Yeah, amazing result. We definitely didn't predict this win this morning in our strategy meeting, but the car was feeling really awesome, and we made a lot of changes from Friday night. And the tyres just felt great, and I just kept saying, you know, 'I think we can do the one-stop, I think we can do the one-stop'. And the strategy did a really great job. And also, you know, well done to Lewis, because he really controlled that race and circumstances were slightly different. I'm sure he would have got the victory. But, you know, 1-2 for the team was such an awesome result and such a great way to go into the break.

So who was the genius behind this one stop? Who was the genius behind that one?
GR: I mean, I was focusing a lot during the race, so I'll have to listen to the radio comments back, but it was a team effort. You know, Joey, Leo, all the strategy guys did an amazing job. And, you know, always it's that team effort. So we rolled the dice, but it was only possible because the car was feeling really great and the pace was there. So, yeah, 1-2, such a good result.

Yeah, I'm sure now you cannot wait to get the summer break over and go to Zandvoort to the next race. I think you are pretty hyped up to go to the next race because I think Mercedes as a team now is in a good position to win more. I mean, it's your third one this year.
GR: Absolutely. Yeah, it's three wins in six, I think it is for us now. You know, I'd want another race next weekend, to be honest. You know, just... Just feeling so, so good. The team have been working so hard. And, yeah, so well deserved for everybody back at Brackley and Brixworth.

Press Conference

George, that was an extraordinary victory. Was it your best in Formula 1 so far?
GR: Yeah, for sure. It was such a difficult race. We spoke so much this morning about the two-stop, the three-stop. But suddenly the tyres, the car felt really, really good. I got into this groove. And especially when I got into the lead, there were no back markers in front, no other cars in front. And it kind of felt like driving a simulator. It was quite weird. And I was looking at the gap to Lewis and the rate he was catching me. And I just thought there's no reason why we can't stay out here and do this one stop and try and make it work. So, yeah, super proud of the job we all did.

Thirty-four laps on that final set of tyres. At what point did you think the win was actually on?
GR: I think it was about 15 laps ago, to be honest. I think when Oscar pitted and Charles and Lewis, I was just watching the TV screens every lap, down after Eau Rouge, and just looking at the gap every single lap. And they just weren't catching me as quick as I expected. And my lap times were just improving every single lap. And that was far from what we all anticipated. But it just goes to show how difficult it is to predict. I think every lap we were driving, 20 drivers, full gas around this circuit and it was just getting faster and faster. The grip was improving. And the tyres just felt really in a great state. But I was still questioning why nobody else did it. I thought, I must be missing something here because everybody's peeling into the pits, but yeah, such a great race.

How nervous were you in those closing laps? Did you think Lewis was going to get past?
GR: I definitely thought he was going to be very close. But equally, I recognise how difficult it is to overtake here. You know, we're all running these skinny rear wings. The drag isn't substantial. But I just want to acknowledge what a great race Lewis drove. You know, he was really controlling it at the beginning. And, you know, the strategy was such a difficult call for everybody. And it was definitely... That one stop was a real surprise. But I'm so proud of the team. One-two is just a huge result.

You say the strategy is a difficult call. Who made the call? Was it you in the cockpit or was it the pit wall?
GR: Team effort.

Allright. Well, look, George, Mercedes have now won three of the last four races. What's possible?
GR: Three and four. Is it three and four? Wow.

What's possible in the second half of this season?
GR: I think the competition was really high today. I don't know what the gaps were at the end, but it felt like the pace between myself, Lewis, Oscar and the Red Bulls, Charles as well, it was so, so close, which was a real surprise for everyone. So it's going to be a real battle.

Alright, but very well done too much. Thank you, Lewis. Let's come to, you know, as George says, you drove a great race today. Just how do you sum up your run to P2?
LH: I think it was great. George did a fantastic job today. Obviously, I'll re-watch the race but yeah, fantastic effort to go the one-stop. And it was pretty smooth sailing, to be honest. I was fully in control. I had plenty of pace and tyres and just didn't end up as planned.

Plenty of tyres. Did you consider the one-stop?
LH: I mean, if you listen, you could have heard what I said to the team most of the time. But yeah, I think the tyres were pretty good. I still had plenty of tyres and I was going quicker. I didn't want to stop.

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