Russell lost around 30 seconds in pit-lane spin, then recovered to fourth

George Russell lost around 30 seconds in a spin at the pit-lane exit during the São Paulo Grand Prix, but recovered to fourth after changing to intermediates in the late rain.

The race began on intermediates and the track dried through the opening stint. Lewis Hamilton and Carlos Sainz were first to switch to softs on lap 15; Russell stopped a lap later from fourth. He was set to rejoin behind Lando Norris, but spun as he exited the pit lane and briefly blocked the track. Isack Hadjar, Liam Lawson and Oscar Piastri passed, and Nico Hülkenberg gained a place.

Russell said he was not sure exactly what had happened in the spin. “I went quite high risk because I smelt an opportunity and paid the price,” he told media.

The lost time prompted him to try a one-stop strategy on the dry tyres. He stayed out when the rest of the field stopped as their slicks wore; when rain returned in the closing stages, he came in for intermediates rather than making a second stop for softs. Russell said the strategy helped bring him back into the race. He praised Mercedes for getting the race call right after saying the team had got qualifying wrong. His fourth place helped Mercedes seal the constructors’ crown.