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During the race, Russell asked over the radio if Hamilton would give up the position for him in the end, but his appeal was rejected. George Russell stated that he will not be “whining” after conceding sixth place to his teammate Lewis Hamilton in Imola, due to a strategic decision by Mercedes. Despite leading for a significant portion of the race, Russell ended up finishing in seventh place behind Hamilton. The team chose to pit Russell for a second time due to concerns about the durability of his tires until the end. This cautious approach ensured that he completed the race and also secured an additional point for Mercedes by setting the fastest lap with new tires. During the race, Russell requested over the radio that Hamilton give up the position for him in the end, but his request was denied. However, the 26-year-old driver seemed unfazed by the result. “You’re never happy with a P6 and a P7. Ultimately, as a team, we got an extra point. I lost my position to Lewis. However, I’m not going to lament losing a P6,” Russell said. Reflecting on his current position, he added: “This is our current situation. We find ourselves a bit in no man’s land, behind the Ferraris and McLarens, but ahead of the midfield pack.” Despite this, Russell highlighted the positive mindset within Mercedes, a team accustomed to frequent triumphs. “To be honest, everyone remains highly motivated. Morale is not decreasing, which is truly inspiring to see. Everyone is striving to make it work and improve. The staff in Brackley and Brixworth are giving their all. It’s fantastic to see. We must keep pushing. This weekend, we maximized our performance. The car had the potential for P6 and P7. That’s where we qualified and, in the end, where we finished,” Russell said. Hamilton, who finished 35 seconds behind the race winner Max Verstappen, echoed Russell’s sentiments regarding the current situation at Mercedes. “We got points, which is a positive result. We find ourselves in the middle of nowhere, but it’s a good result for us. I don’t believe we could have achieved much more,” the seven-time F1 champion said. He downplayed the idea that he is struggling with the current circumstances, adding: “I don’t particularly consider it challenging – it’s simply where we are. So, we must give our best effort. And that’s exactly what we did.”