George Russell has never lacked for confidence. In 2018, when trying to land a Formula 1 seat with Williams, he came armed with a PowerPoint presentation to explain why he was the best man for the job.
While impressed, ultimately the team decided he was too young, although they snapped him up the following year after he added the F2 title to his previous GP3 crown.
In recent weeks, that confidence has taken a hefty dent. He was close to tears in a post-race interview in Spa after a collision with Lewis Hamilton put an end to his race and hugely dented his title chances, caused in no small part by issues with his Mercedes.
So lengthy have been the list of calamities that he described himself as “numb to disappointment” in the aftermath.
It had followed an angry rebuke over the team radio: “I’m out. What the f*** happened with the SoC [state of charge] down the straight. I had no f***ing battery down the straight. Guys, un-f***ing-acceptable this whole weekend.”
