George Russell brutally honest after tough US GP: 'It was rubbish'

It has been a very difficult period for George Russell. Since winning the Azerbaijan Grand Prix, the British driver has not finished inside the top five.

In the Bahrain Grand Prix in Malaysia, he suffered an engine failure in the latter stages, before finishing ninth in the Singapore Grand Prix after taking a grid penalty.

Hopes were high for the United States Grand Prix, but there were no signs of improvement for Russell, as he ended the 56 Lap race in eighth place.

After finishing in eighth place, Russell had to watch the other side of the Mercedes garage celebrate as his teammate claimed victory.

When reviewing his Grand Prix in the media pen, Russell explained that his pace at the Circuit of the Americas was ‘rubbish’, and his penalty also cost him further places.

“The pace was just rubbish today,” Russell told Sky Sports. “That's the long and short of it, of course, the 5-second didn't help things and probably cost me two or three positions. 

“Nevertheless, the pace was not good enough when it needed to be.”

Russell was asked whether he was still struggling to adapt to the latest upgrades that were introduced by Mercedes. 

But he insisted that it was more the fact that he was just not ‘quick enough’ when he needed to be during the Grand Prix.

Russell explained, “Just not being quick enough, to be honest. I need to try to understand why it is, and it's strange when you're so far off. 

“So hopefully we'll find some answers somewhere, but I don't know when that'll happen.”

The only positive for Russell is that his result meant Antonelli did not claim the title in the United States Grand Prix, but he has likely just delayed the inevitable until the next Grand Prix next weekend in Mexico.