Charles Leclerc reveals the games the Mercedes team tried to play during his battle with George Russell at Suzuka. The two fought until the end of the Japanese GP for the third podium spot. Leclerc ultimately came out on top, although he crossed the finish line less than five tenths ahead of Russell, but not before discovering the ‘tactics’ of the Silver Arrows: ‘Then George did exactly the opposite’.
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Charles Leclerc has secured his second podium of the year. The Monegasque crossed the finish line less than five tenths ahead of George Russell, who ultimately had to settle for fourth place. Leclerc opens up about how games were also played via the team radio during the battle with the Mercedes driver.
NOW ONLINE: 40-page Japanese GP Race Special: our online magazine with news, reactions, analysis, and interview!
“It was a battle on the edge and they were a bit naughty at Mercedes too,” Leclerc said in the press conference after the Japanese race. “My engineer told me what his engineer (Russell’s, ed.) said over the radio, but he did exactly the opposite, and that put me under quite a bit of pressure.”
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‘Quite a fun race’
The Monegasque also has a concrete example of the Mercedes tactic. “At one point, I think they told me: ‘Oh, he’s being instructed to give it everything on the straight’, and then he did exactly the opposite for four laps in a row. So I figured it out pretty quickly and was able to defend then.” Nevertheless, Leclerc enjoyed the fight with Russell: “It was quite a fun race.”
NOW ONLINE: 40-page Japanese GP Race Special: our online magazine with news, reactions, analysis, and interview!
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