George Russell had one of the best starts during the Spanish Grand Prix when he found himself leading the race from fourth on the grid.
The Mercedes driver lined up alongside teammate Lewis Hamilton on the second row of the grid and managed to charge past both Max Verstappen and Lando Norris on the run down to the first corner.
His lead lasted a couple of laps before Verstappen used DRS to move ahead, a move that proved to be critical in his winning chances, while Russell dropped back to fourth at the chequered flag.
The start has been the subject of a lot of discussion considering the nature of the overtake, with former F1 driver Pedro de la Rosa praising him on the F1 Nation podcast.
Pedro de la Rosa explains impressive George Russell start
De la Rosa explained why it was such a great start from Russell as he utilised an important part of the sequence behind Norris and Verstappen.
“It was very well played by George because he saw the opportunity. One thing I liked about George is that he saw they were fighting for position.
“He went for the tow of Max, then for Lando, and then he went on the braking on the clean side. So basically, he didn’t go immediately to the clean side of the grid. He knew he had to get the tow from them to have a chance to overtake in the braking zone into Turn 1. So I think it was really good how George played his cards.”
George Russell inspired by Fernando Alonso
One of the more iconic starts at the Circuit de Barcelona Catalunya was Fernando Alonso’s in 2011. The Spaniard had a rocket start from fourth on the grid, slinging past the Red Bulls of Mark Webber and Sebastian Vettel to the cheers of fans in the grandstands.
Even though he completed the move on the inside of the corner, Russell said he was inspired by Alonso’s start and admitted that he “dreamt” of making the move the night before.
READ MORE: Five unforgettable Spanish Grand Prix in Barcelona including Senna vs Mansell
The Mercedes driver rehearsed the move during his reconnaissance laps to the grid, utilising the increased wind speed to brake as late as possible on each attempt and maximise his chances of making it stick.
A slow pit stop and late-race battle with Hamilton ultimately comprised his chances of finishing on the podium, while a mid-race battle with Norris also lost him time. Jolyon Palmer said he did not expect to see either driver fighting as hard for a position at the track, which is famed for being one of the most difficult to overtake on.
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