Russell ready to 'fight back' in Turkey after Imola setback

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George Russell says he will get back in the saddle this weekend in Turkey "feeling stronger" and ready to fight back after his painful crash at the Emilia Romagna GP.

Russell emerged unscathed from his damaged Williams after crashing behind the safety car at Imola while he was on the verge of securing his first top-ten finish.

But the clumsy mishap cast a gloomy shadow over the young Briton's spirit in the immediate aftermath of the incident.

However, Russell has since repaired his psyche and heads to Istanbul ready to resume his quest for points with Williams.

"I am excited to get back racing in Turkey, and for the challenge of driving at a new circuit," said the 22-year-old.

"It has been good to have a week off to reflect on what happened at Imola and learn from my mistake.

"The recent performance from the car has been really encouraging and I am looking forward to seeing what we can achieve.

"Overall, I am feeling stronger and prepared to fight back this weekend."

Read also: Russell only driver to message me after Haas exit news - Grosjean

On the subject of Williams' progress of late, Dave Robson, the team's Head of Vehicle Performance, says a return to a normal three-day weekend will be beneficial

"We return to the normal weekend format for this event, which will give us a chance to explore more setup options than we were able to do in Imola," Robson explained.

"Work will be centred around understanding the track surface and the tyre behaviour and this will enable us to pick a set-up that sensibly balances the qualifying and race requirements.

"Over recent weeks we have experimented with this trade and were able to make some good progress in both Portugal and Imola.

"George and Nicholas [Latifi] both showed good pace during the race in Imola and but for a small error, we would’ve finished inside the top 10.

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Phillip van Osten

Motor racing was a backdrop from the outset in Phillip van Osten's life. Born in Southern California, Phillip grew up with the sights and sounds of fast cars thanks to his father, Dick van Osten, an editor and writer for Auto Speed and Sport and Motor Trend. Phillip's passion for racing grew even more when his family moved to Europe and he became acquainted with the extraordinary world of Grand Prix racing. He was an early contributor to the monthly French F1i Magazine, often providing a historic or business perspective on Formula 1's affairs. In 2012, he co-authored along with fellow journalist Pierre Van Vliet the English-language adaptation of a limited edition book devoted to the great Belgian driver Jacky Ickx. He also authored "The American Legacy in Formula 1", a book which recounts the trials and tribulations of American drivers in Grand Prix racing. Phillip is also a commentator for Belgian broadcaster Be.TV for the US Indycar series.