Salvaging another double points-haul in Saudi Arabia, George Russell says Mercedes “can’t walk away being pleased with that” as the team has loftier goals.

Arriving at the Jeddah Corniche Circuit for round two of the championship, Mercedes had hoped that the characteristics of the circuit would suit their car after all Lewis Hamilton won the race by more than 20 seconds last year.

It was not to be.

Hamilton struggled more than Russell, the seven-time World Champion dropping out of Saturday night’s qualifying at the first hurdle. It was his first Q1 exit since 2017.

Russell made it through to the pole position shoot-out, qualifying P6, and raced his way to fifth place.