Here's why George Russell feels he did not deserve the podium at the 2023 F1 Saudi Arabian GP

George Russell feels he didn't deserve a third-place finish at the 2023 Saudi Arabian GP, believing that a P4 finish was the maximum he could have achieved in Jeddah. The Briton was handed a third-place trophy that was later taken away after Fernando Alonso and team got their penalty reversed.

Russell finished the race in P4 but was promoted to P3 after Alonso was slapped on the wrist with a penalty. The Spaniard was serving a five-second time penalty in the pits when his mechanic touched the rear end of his car prematurely, resulting in another penalty post-race.

However, after Aston Martin appealed to the stewards, the Spaniard had the penalty removed and the Mercedes driver lost his third-place trophy.

Speaking to the media at a press conference ahead of the 2023 Australian GP, George Russell said:

"It was just a bit of a shame, what a mess it was for everybody else included, I think from my side and our side, we didn't feel like we deserved to finish in third position, but obviously it's quite a nice feeling when it's handed to you. And then when it's obviously taken away from you again… It was all a bit silly."

Russell continued:

"P4 was, I think, the absolute maximum we could have achieved. I think the Ferraris were probably a little bit fast for us that weekend."

George Russell picked over Lewis Hamilton as Mercedes' main title challenger by former driver

Former Ferrari driver Felipe Massa expressed his support for George Russell as Mercedes' primary contender for future championships over Lewis Hamilton. However, Massa emphasized that Hamilton should never be underestimated.

In the previous season, Russell joined Mercedes and teamed up with Hamilton for the first time. He not only outperformed his teammate in the Drivers' Championship rankings but also secured his first pole position and race win in Hungary and Sao Paulo, respectively.

Although Lewis Hamilton and Mercedes were optimistic about producing a better car in 2023 after facing difficulties with the W13, early signs indicate that they are still a long way from being in contention for race victories. Red Bull is currently leading the pack, with a clear advantage over Mercedes.

Speaking about George Russell eventually challenging for the title, Massa told Bild:

“I trust him to do that. Don’t forget: last year, in his first season at Mercedes, he left Lewis behind in the World Championship. An incredible achievement. Before that, only Nico Rosberg in 2016 had achieved this in Lewis’ entire career. George is a top driver.”

It will be interesting to watch the young driver's progress this season with Mercedes.