Russell on regulations: "Something will happen, no doubt about it"

Changes coming

Equipped with new regulations in 2022, Formula 1 hoping to create closer racing. They have achieved that with ground effect cars but that also comes with problems. On the long straight in Baku, the bouncing was exaggerated.

"It wasn't pleasant. I feel it. This was one of the worst, the straight was so bumpy, I don't know what goes on. It's like a seven-lane motorway. No one is saying this to gain an advantage, the Ferrari drivers and even Max is saying how tough it is," Russell told Sky Sports.

"You either have porpoising and the car is hitting the ground, or if you have no porpoising you can run the car less than one centimetre from the ground and you're smashing the bumps. Whichever way you have got it, it's not great. Something will happen, no doubt about it. At the start of the season, it was a slower wavy effect but since Barcelona, we have a different issue."

Lewis Hamilton 

Russell beat Hamilton again in Baku. The young British driver is almost 40 points ahead of the seven-time World Champion. On Sunday, Hamilton struggled to climb out of the car due to back pain. Russell reveals he is pleased to be ahead of Hamilton but knows that he will be a "different beast" when Mercedes solve the problems. 

"I know how great Lewis is, I know once we have the car, I am sure he will be a whole different beast. We are so fixated on solving the issues, we are not fixated on maximising the race weekends and focusing on our driving. Once we have a good car, the true Lewis Hamilton be out there fighting strong. We are not a million miles away from it, we are trying different things and gathering all the information," Russell concluded.