Russell was heading into turn three on a hot lap when he came across Checo, who was going slowly on the racing line. The Mexican driver moved to the inside to allow Russell through, but the Mercedes driver wasn’t happy that his line was compromised.

Speaking to his crew over the team radio, Russell exclaimed: “He’s a ****” as he manoeuvered the W14 around the outside of Perez’s Red Bull car. 

The 25-year-old is feeling the pressure as Mercedes look to secure their second-place position in the Constructors’ Championship standings. The Silver Arrows are 45 points clear of nearest rivals Ferrari in the battle for P2.

Speaking about his role in that fight, Russell said: “We’re in a pretty comfortable position in P2, but we can’t let that slip. The way that I help the team achieve this is if I’m just putting in the consistent and solid results.”

Despite Russell’s frustrations, Perez did little wrong as he stayed off the racing line and didn’t impede the British driver. Nevertheless, this will be an unwelcome distraction for the Mexican in what has been a turbulent weekend. 

The 33-year-old has been at the centre of a media storm following comments made by Red Bull’s chief advisor, Helmut Marko, who claimed that his nationality has played a role in his performances in 2023.

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