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George Russell believes this season has been his best ever in terms of performance as he refused to dwell on his last-lap crash in Singapore. Russell put his Mercedes into the barriers as he chased down Lando Norris and race winner Carlos Sainz on the draining street circuit. The 25-year-old was visibly emotional afterwards following a strong weekend where he qualified second and held the edge over his team-mate Lewis Hamilton but is keen to move on quickly. “In terms of pure performance I feel that this has been my best season ever,” Russell said ahead of the Japanese Grand Prix. “But I reckon there is over 60 points that we have lost this season for a number of different reasons. “I have got an objective this year to secure P2 in the constructors’ championship for the team. It was quite clear this year from the beginning that we were not going to be fighting for a championship and I don’t know if that’s had an impact on my mentality or not. “There is a reason for all mistakes and that is just pushing to the limit and in some instances pushing over the limit to try and achieve what is possible. I think when I look at my championship-winning years in junior formulas I was the driver who kept on getting results, it’s the long game. “I can assure you once we are in a position again to win a championship I will be back to the ways that I know how to win a championship.” Russell has no regrets over pushing to try and claim the victory over the ailing Sainz and Norris. “If I knew it was the last lap and I took it easy and Lewis overtook me I would equally be kicking myself,” Russell added. “We are on to the next one and it is behind us, in life you can let these setbacks dwell on you. You can overthink and let it consume you but ultimately that brings nothing. You have to have that moment when it knocks you down. “Shov (Mercedes’ chief race engineer Andrew Shovlin) called me Sunday evening and said ‘the only reason we were in that position to fight for a win was because of how incredibly you’d driven all weekend’. I'm not going to let a mistake of 2cm cloud my whole weekend George Russell “He said ‘you gave us that feeling of what it is like to fight for victory again so take that away from the weekend’. “I take the positives, really pleased with the overall performance. I’m not going to let a mistake of 2cm cloud my whole weekend.” Norris clipped the barriers just ahead of Russell but survived the impact and the Mercedes driver feels it played a part. “When Lando hit the wall, the thought process is so quick in your brain because I saw him hit the wall and I thought ‘Oh my God he hit the wall’ and then I hit the wall,” Russell added. “Either the distraction of him clipping the wall was a factor or I was following his tracks or it was just a silly mistake but it seems a bit too much of a coincidence.” Mercedes’ strong pace in Singapore may be hard to replicate around the high-speed corners at Suzuka – where Russell believes McLaren are best placed to challenge Red Bull. But Hamilton is excited to return to the Japanese circuit. “I don’t anticipate us having the performance we had in Singapore. We are continuing to try and push the envelope that we have,” Hamilton said. “It (Suzuka) is one of the favourites for all the drivers. It is that historic circuit and an incredible track to drive on. It is one of the greatest layouts that we get to experience in the calendar.” Read More Charity boss speaks out over ‘traumatic’ encounter with royal aide Ukraine war’s heaviest fight rages in east - follow live Lance Stroll to sit out Singapore Grand Prix after huge crash in qualifying ‘You can forget about that’ – Max Verstappen rules out another win in Singapore Lance Stroll crashes into barrier at 110mph in Singapore Grand Prix qualifying

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Lando Norris has called for stronger punishments to be dished out for blocking other drivers after Max Verstappen escaped grid sanctions at the Singapore Grand Prix. Verstappen was under three separate investigations following qualifying – one for stopping at the pit lane exit, one for impeding Logan Sargeant and another for getting in the way of Yuki Tsunoda in Q2 – but only received a 5,000 euros (£4,308) fine. Norris believes that more responsibility should be placed on the driver to avoid such incidents. “I think the blocking one on track should have been a penalty,” Norris said ahead of this weekend’s Japanese Grand Prix. “If you block someone, it is not just down to the team – I know the team got a fine – but it should be down to the driver as well. “You have to look in your mirrors. You have nothing else to do the whole lap but look in your mirrors and it seems like a lot of people struggle to do that. “There should be harsher penalties for blocking. So many people do it. “It ruins your lap, ruins your qualifying. It put Yuki out in qualifying, he was P1 in Q1. “Nobody seems to care enough. It has happened a lot this season, it has happened to me quite a few times – especially with certain teams – but it is down to the driver to look in the mirror. “I will probably block someone this weekend now and make myself look stupid.” There should be harsher penalties for blocking. So many people do it Lando Norris Mercedes drivers Lewis Hamilton and George Russell were both among the cars held up by Verstappen’s wait at the pit exit and the seven-time world champion says there has to be more consistency in the decision making. “I didn’t really see them, I was in the pit lane when everyone stopped and I couldn’t see what was happening ahead,” Hamilton said. “We always push and work as closely as we can with the FIA to achieve consistency and there are some variations so we have to continue to work on that.” Ferrari driver Charles Leclerc, who also held up, added: “I was a bit surprised (there was not a stronger penalty), especially with the one in the pit lane as that could open some quite bad situations in the future. “It is always an open discussion with the FIA, trying to explain what our point of view is. I am sure we will have that discussion at the briefing.” Verstappen, who arrives in Japan with a 151-point lead in the drivers’ championship, feels that every incident has to be judged individually by the stewards. He said: “Every single instance is different. “The only thing I can say about Singapore is that I explained what happened when I was sitting in the car and the information that was given to me. “That is all I can do and it is up to the stewards to make that call.” Read More Charity boss speaks out over ‘traumatic’ encounter with royal aide Ukraine war’s heaviest fight rages in east - follow live Lance Stroll to sit out Singapore Grand Prix after huge crash in qualifying ‘You can forget about that’ – Max Verstappen rules out another win in Singapore Lance Stroll crashes into barrier at 110mph in Singapore Grand Prix qualifying

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