After the Monaco Grand Prix, George Russell admitted he ran out of patience after being stuck behind other cars for almost 50 laps.
The FIA hoped to “promote better racing” by forcing drivers to use three sets of tyres during the race.Instead several teams seized on the opportunity to manipulate the race by ordering one of their drivers to lap many seconds off the pace, in order to create space for their other car to pit without losing positions.
This resulted in a domino effect throughout the field. Liam Lawson backed off to help Isack Hadjar, then the Williams drivers slowed down and swapped positions to help each other.
Russell, following behind, grew increasingly frustrated. With better luck he could have started in front of all of them, but his Mercedes broke down in qualifying, leaving him 14th on the grid.
He therefore decided to take matters into his own hands – and brought the wrath of the stewards upon himself by doing so.
Russell’s Monaco radio messages
Jump to:
“Lawson backing up Hadjar”
“Maybe you can give him a surprise”
“Williams ahead will swap turn 12”
“It’s clear what they’re trying to do, and it’s f***ing dangerous”
“Kimi still opening that gap for you”
“That was good of him”
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“Lawson backing up Hadjar”
Racing Bulls began executing their strategy as soon as the race began. Lawson held up a queue including the Williams drivers, Nico Hulkenberg (until he pitted on lap 12), Russell, his team mate Andrea Kimi Antonelli and others.
| Lap: 9/78 RUS: 1’23.390 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Dudley | Gasly’s still driving around, he’s got a wheel hanging off and front wing missing | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Dudley | Strat 11. So double yellow, double yellow. Look for debris on exit of the chicane. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Lap: 10/78 RUS: 1’21.501 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Russell | Lawson backing up Hadjar. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Dudley | Yeah, affirm, I see it. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Dudley | And strat 11 available. So double yellow still showing 10, 11. The pit lane currently closed. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Lap: 11/78 RUS: 1’19.853 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Dudley | Track now clear and pit entry open. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Lap: 13/78 RUS: 1’18.901 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Dudley | Hulkenberg in the pit lane. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Dudley | Hulkenberg has gone to the hard tyre. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Lap: 14/78 RUS: 1’19.247 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Dudley | Hadjar in pit lane now. So, Hadjar on the soft tyre. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Lap: 16/78 RUS: 1’20.766 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Dudley | Still target plus zero. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Lap: 17/78 RUS: 1’21.057 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Dudley | Alonso and Ocon just pitted. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Maybe you can give him a surprise
By lap 19 Lawson had held up the midfield enough for Hadjar to complete his second pit stop. He was therefore able to pick up the pace but the Williams drivers now executed the same strategy, so Russell remained confined to lapping much slower than he was capable of.
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| Lap: 19/78 RUS: 1’19.629 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Dudley | Hadjar just leaving the pit lane now after his second stop. Hopefully now Lawson will start moving. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Lap: 20/78 RUS: 1’18.513 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Russell | Have the drivers ahead pitted as well: Alonso, Lewis? | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Russell | Affirm. And the leaders are all pitting now as well. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Dudley | Lawson told he can push now | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Russell | Just keeping close to them. Who are we racing? Is the three guys ahead? | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Dudley | Yeah affirm, it’s just the cars around us at the moment. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Lap: 25/78 RUS: 1’19.216 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Russell | [Unclear] | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Dudley | Say again, sorry? | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Russell | Sainz is backing off. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Russell | Yeah, he was just given a target of 19.0, so he’s going to start backing you up now I suspect. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Wolff | Maybe you can give him a surprise moment, George. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Lap: 28/78 RUS: 1’19.673 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Dudley | Verstappen has just boxed. He did 29 laps on his hard. Verstappen was struggling with his rear left. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Lap: 30/78 RUS: 1’20.514 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Dudley | We’ve got Norris in three seconds. Norris now car behind Kimi. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Dudley | Blue flag for Norris. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Lap: 31/78 RUS: 1’18.068 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Dudley | Sainz has been told to pick up the pace by a second. And Leclerc now car behind Kimi. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Dudley | Sainz has been given max pace. Lawson in pit lane. We’ve got blue flag for Leclerc. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Lap: 32/78 RUS: 1’19.384 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Dudley | Piastri now car behind Kimi. Albon pitted. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Lap: 33/78 RUS: 1’21.135 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Dudley | Blue flag for Piastri. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Dudley | Car behind now Verstappen. Blue flag for Verstappen. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Dudley | Sainz has been given a lap time target 19.0 again. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
“Williams ahead will swap turn 12”
Once Sainz had slowed down long enough for Alexander Albon to complete his pit stop, Williams swapped the running order of their drivers. Mercedes warned Russell this was about to happen but the Williams pair chose a place to swap positions which made it difficult for him to take advantage.
Now stuck behind Albon, Russell had lost so much time he was under threat from drivers behind who had pitted and caught up. Around this time he began considering whether he should get ahead of Albon by another means.
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| Lap: 34/78 RUS: 1’18.936 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Russell | So if I got past now [unclear]? | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Russell | Er, P11 that will be. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Lap: 37/78 RUS: 1’18.925 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Dudley | So Alonso has just retired, car behind the barrier, exit turn 18, so the track is clear there. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Lap: 38/78 RUS: 1’18.468 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Dudley | This is P11 now, Sainz ahead P10. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Lap: 40/78 RUS: 1’18.936 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Russell | Yeah. We need to do two pit stops. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Dudley | Albon in the pit lane. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Lap: 41/78 RUS: 1’17.272 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Dudley | Sainz has been given: ‘pace is free’. Williams will be looking to invert positions here. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Lap: 42/78 RUS: 1’17.617 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Dudley | Williams ahead will swap turn 12.{{{The Williams drivers swap places approaching Tabac}}} | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
“It’s clear what they’re trying to do, and it’s f***ing dangerous”
Eventually, Russell took it upon himself to cut across the Nouvelle chicane, emerging in front of Albon. Mercedes advised him to give the position back, but he refused, saying he would “take the penalty”.
The stewards took this as an indication he had left the circuit deliberately and instead of the usual 10-second time penalty, ordered him to take a drive-through penalty. Russell responded by telling Mercedes to use Antonelli to back up the drivers behind him, which he did.
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| Lap: 48/78 RUS: 1’17.477 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Dudley | Sainz in the pit lane now, Sainz in the pit lane. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Russell | [[[Russell cuts the Nouvelle chicane and passes Albon]]]Avoiding collision from Albon. He slammed on the brakes. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Lap: 49/78 RUS: 1’17.379 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Dudley | So we need to give that position back to Albon. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Russell | I’ll take the penalty. He’s driving erratically. He’s on fresh tyres, already two second behind. It’s clear what they’re trying to do, and it’s fucking dangerous. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Lap: 50/78 RUS: 1’15.966 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Dudley | Get your head down, let’s push on here. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Lap: 51/78 RUS: 1’16.095 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Dudley | ‘So we’ve got a drive-through penalty, but we’ll delay it as long as we can. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Russell | To be honest I prefer not to speak. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Dudley | Affirm. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Russell | Tell Kimi to put the handbrakes on, then. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Lap: 53/78 RUS: 1’27.933 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Dudley | Just keep the hammer down here. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Russell | Can’t hear you, mate. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Russell | Keep the hammer down here. Kimi’s making a gap. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Dudley | ‘It will be drive-through this lap, so driving straight through the pit lane this lap. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Dudley | Box box through the pit lane. Pit limiter, pit limiter. Stay in the fast lane, straight through. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Russell | Where are we going to come out? | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Dudley | We’ll be ahead of Kimi. Be close with Albon on exit. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
“Kimi still opening that gap for you”
With Antonelli still controlling the queue behind him, Russell completed his final two pit stops and regained the 11th place he held to begin with.
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| Lap: 54/78 RUS: 1’20.782 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Dudley | [[[Russell leaves the pits]]]Leclerc alongside. Leclerc just behind on exit. So you’re still ahead of Albon. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Dudley | Kimi still opening that gap for you here, George. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Lap: 56/78 RUS: 1’18.479 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Dudley | Gap to Kimi nine seconds. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Dudley | Blue flag, Piastri. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Lap: 57/78 RUS: 1’16.715 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Dudley | Now George, let me know what flap adjust you’d want next stint. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Russell | I’m out of rear now, but the next stint’s going to be quite short. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Dudley | Yeah affirm, there’s only 18 laps remaining. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Lap: 58/78 RUS: 1’16.037 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Dudley | Gap to Kimi 10.5. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Lap: 59/78 RUS: 1’16.082 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Dudley | So gap to Kimi at 13, maybe 14 seconds. Sainz has been asked now to start backing up. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Lap: 61/78 RUS: 1’15.998 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Dudley | Gap now 18 seconds. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Dudley | 15 laps remaining, just let me know flap adjust. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Lap: 62/78 RUS: 1’34.078 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Russell | Plus 0.4. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Dudley | Box, box this lap. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Dudley | Box, box, pit limiter on the way in. Reset diff entry and diff mid. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Lap: 63/78 RUS: 1’17.761 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Dudley | Clear on exit. We’ll just build that gap, got one more stop to do. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Lap: 66/78 RUS: 1’13.918 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Russell | Lap time of the leaders, or… | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Russell | Verstappen on the medium doing 15.5. Leclerc 14.9. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Dudley | So, Piastri currently fastest lap, he did that on a hard after 12 laps, 13.7 it was for him. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Lap: 67/78 RUS: 1’13.483 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Dudley | Ten laps remaining. Gap 18 seconds. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Lap: 68/78 RUS: 1’31.077 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Dudley | Okay, that’s the fastest lap. Box, box this lap. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Lap: 69/78 RUS: 1’18.119 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Dudley | So track is clear. That’s eight laps remaining. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Lap: 71/78 RUS: 1’14.053 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Dudley | We’ve got Lewis at four and a half seconds. He was doing 15.1, last lap actually 14.3. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
“That was good of him”
Russell and Dudley expressed their appreciation for Antonelli’s sacrifice, which left the other Mercedes at the back of the field. While Russell had got the opportunity to put some flying laps in, and came close to taking the fastest lap, he clearly wasn’t impressed with F1’s two-tyre-change experiment.
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| Lap: 72/78 RUS: 1’13.865 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Dudley | And five laps remaining. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Lap: 74/78 RUS: 1’13.405 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Dudley | Three laps remaining. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Dudley | Two laps remaining, we’ll go strat nine. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Lap: 75/78 RUS: 1’13.773 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Dudley | Verstappen just boxed for a soft tyre. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Lap: 76/78 RUS: 1’14.490 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Dudley | And one more lap. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Lap: 77/78 RUS: | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Dudley | Picking up rubber, green one, position 12, strat 14. Norris just pipped you for fastest lap on the last one there, did a 13.2 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Russell | Where did we end up? | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Dudley | P11. Kimi dropped back to last, all the games that were going on and to help you out as well. That was good of him. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Russell | Yeah. Shame about yesterday. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Dudley | Green one position 12 as well please. Yeah, shame about yesterday. It was a bit of a joke today. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Russell | Yep. I at least enjoyed driving flat out for the last 20 odd laps. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Dudley | Yeah, at least we got some free air. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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2025 Monaco Grand Prix
- Norris predicts his Monaco pole record should stand “for a very long time”
- Bearman is right: Formula 1 should let Monaco be Monaco
- Wurz’s proposed Monaco track changes would make ‘1 to 5%’ difference – Sainz
- Bortoleto claims his “put him in the wall” radio message was taken out of context
- I deserved penalty, deliberate rule breaking ‘should never be allowed’ – Russell
Jere (@jerejj)
27th May 2025, 13:08
Their whole strategy was weird & in hindsight, they would’ve been better off doing away with their pit stops or at least the first one each soon after the Williams tactics began to get free air running away from this lengthy train instead of leaving everything within the last ten laps & I also don’t get that neither used the soft for their short late stints with low fuel loads, even though they had fresh sets left because they failed to reach Q3.
roadrunner (@roadrunner)
27th May 2025, 15:34
Look what happend to Tsunoda. He got one pitstop out of the way early, but gave up track position and ended up behind the Mercedes. Once Torro Rosso and Williams started their games there was absolutely nothing any of the cars behind could do. P11 by going long and sacrificing one car was the maximum today for Mercedes.
Miane
27th May 2025, 21:59
If they stopped as soon as they noticed Racing Bulls strategy, it would have forced Williams to do the same and that would create a snowball effect in the entire field.
roadrunner (@roadrunner)
28th May 2025, 1:43
Not really. There was no strategic way to get ahead of the Williams. They had their cars in P9 and P10. First Sainz opened a 40 seconds gap for Albon, than Albon returned the favour and opened a 40 seconds gap for Sainz. It didn’t matter for them if the cars behind had stopped once, twice or not at all yet. All they need was track position. Had Mercedes stopped earlier they would not only have been still in the train behind the Williams, but also behind the cars that stopped on lap one.
David BR (@david-br)
27th May 2025, 15:20
‘Better racing’?
Some racing would be a good place to start. Verstappen and others criticized the rule change fairly heavily. But Russell really made the point best. He’s a racing driver. In a Formula 1 racing car. He expects to race, not take part in a go-slow procession.
Explain away however you want Monaco fans. It’s not motor racing.
aaa123
28th May 2025, 10:42
The explanation is always easy. The racing suffers due to the excessive caution of the drivers which is brought about by the constant tutoring from the pit wall which enables the drivers to be somewhat passive in their “racing” as they are just obeying orders and fear repercussions from going off-script. Completely ban any 2 way radio stuff barring emergencies and it would recalibrate things a good bit. If Bortoleto could nail Antonelli round the hairpin once then another driver could do it as well. Monaco is claustrophobic and definitely difficult to overtake on but the drivers all escape blame for what are ultimately their own actions despite their very blatant willingness to be nothing more than a passive enabler of pit wall scheming. When they say that it isn’t racing they should at least acknowledge that it is in fact them in the car causing it, not some magical unseen force.
roadrunner (@roadrunner)
27th May 2025, 15:39
I almost expected a radio call from Russell like: Tell Williams, if they swap cars and continue blocking I’ll just send it and we crash.”
Verstappen would probably have done it and I probably won’t have felt any pity for Williams (or RB or Merceds or who ever did the blocking for that matter).
Esploratore (@esploratore1)
27th May 2025, 22:59
This is a good point! I was thinking that a risky overtake made a lot of sense for russell too, and if albon didn’t leave enough space, then it was williams with something to lose, not mercedes, which is a car capable to go for podiums normally.
baasbas
28th May 2025, 8:03
@roadrunner
I think you’re right. Elbow your way past, shedding carbon fiber here and there and a bit of a wheel to wheel bumping would not have yielded a drive through. Causing a collision tops. I’m sure in all those laps it should have been possible to shove it through the inside of Portier like Antonelli at least once
lumpy
28th May 2025, 16:41
One of these Monaco events will be marred by a team at the top of the championship sacrificing one car and all of the arbitrary penalties for the sake of their lead point car. Redbull could have easily done it this year. Maybe it’s finally time to alter this marquis event before it becomes an even bigger embarrassment.