--- title: "Listen to George Russell’s Nerve-Racking Call For Help After F1 Crash" description: "Following George Russell's crash in the final lap of the F1 Australian Grand Prix, he called for help over the radio." date: "2024-03-24" modified: "2024-03-24" authors: - name: "Nico DeMattia" job_title: "Contributing Writer" link: "https://www.thedrive.com/authors/nico-demattia" url: "https://www.thedrive.com/news/listen-to-george-russells-nerve-racking-call-for-help-after-f1-crash" categories: - "F1" - "News" - "Racing" --- # Listen to George Russell’s Nerve-Racking Call For Help After F1 Crash ![]() *X. F1* During the final lap of the[ Formula 1]() Australian Grand Prix, Mercedes' [George Russell ]()was chasing down Aston Martin's Fernando Alonso, in a battle for sixth place. However, before he could finish the race, Russell spun and crashed into the wall. While he was OK after the initial crash, he was still in danger and his call for help that followed was harrowing. "Red flag, red flag, red flag, I'm in the middle of the track!" Russell called to his team over the radio, hoping to stop the race. Once his car stopped moving after the crash, Russell was sitting sideways right in the middle of the track, just around the bend of a corner, making him a sitting duck to possibly be T-boned by another car. You can hear the panic in his voice, as he knows another car could hit him, at incredibly high speed, at any moment. "Red, red, red, red, red!" https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mDltOg-exCM Russell had every right to be terrified of sitting motionless in the middle of the track. During the 2019 Formula 2 Belgian Grand Prix, Anthoine Hubert tragically died after crashing into a wall and then being struck by another car at high speed. And Hubert was far from the only driver in history to be hit while motionless. I can only imagine how frightening it must have been for Russell to be stuck in a similar situation, hoping another car doesn't hit him. https://twitter.com/F1/status/1771770494678671391?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1771770494678671391%7Ctwgr%5E25ac7760ff0b2b21028a7860e101941ad417210d%7Ctwcon%5Es1_&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fd-5574667193943262286.ampproject.net%2F2403072016000%2Fframe.html Thankfully, no one hit Russell, as a virtual safety car was called and the drivers gently cruised to the finish line. Russell's crash was a frightening end to an already bad day for Mercedes, as his teammate [Lewis Hamilton]() left the race earlier with engine failure. However, after a crash like that, all that matters is that Russell wasn't injured. *Got tips? Send 'em to tips@thedrive.com* ## Author Nico is a writer and reviewer from New Jersey who probably thinks he’s a lot funnier than he actually is. His love of cars began when he was just a kid playing Gran Turismo 3, grinding out enough race wins with a Mazda Miata to save up for an in-game RUF 911. That passion for small, lightweight sports cars drove his desire to learn more about the industry, get his hands on as many cars as he could, and bring those experiences to life on the page. He cut his teeth writing about BMWs, Volkswagens, and Audis, mostly, and has owned far too many of each. He’s on his fourth 3 Series sedan, but all of his old, cheap German cars have forced him to learn more about car maintenance than his mechanical capability can handle. Too many late nights have been spent scrambling to get a car running by morning so he could get to work. For some reason, he never seems to learn that old Bimmers probably aren’t the best daily drivers. But he loves more than just old German cars. He’ll gladly drive and discuss anything with four (or even three) wheels. Cars aren’t his only passions, though. Nico is also a big nerd and loves movies, video games, comic books, and cares far too much about the New York Giants. So don’t be surprised if you see football references or dumb, obscure movie quotes in any of his car reviews. ### Author social links [Instagram]() [LinkedIn]()