In Sunday’s race in Baku, Russell had to take evasive action at the restart on lap 13 to avoid crashing Aston Martin’s Fernando Alonso into Turn 1.

Russell had to swerve to the right, which caused him to miss the apex of the 90-degree left-hander and landed him in the dirt on the way out.

This gave chaser Lance Stroll the momentum to overtake him heading into Turn 2 in 7th. Stroll’s move also provided enough support for Russell to allow teammate Lewis Hamilton to pass entering Turn 3.

It was the second day in a row that Russell performed poorly at the restart after being knocked out by Max Verstappen at the restart of Saturday’s sprint.

“I’m kind of disappointed in myself,” Russell said. “I got off to a really good start, got a good position around the pit stop, was ahead of Stroll, and then I just messed up the restart.

“I was defending Lance, almost ran into the back of Fernando, went wide and got my tyres, which is ultimately how Lance and Lewis passed from there on.

“I just couldn’t figure out how early Fernando was braking, I had to turn almost to the right at Turn 1 instead of the left, into the dirt and everything went downhill from there.

Mercedes-AMG’s George Russell at Parc Ferme after the sprint race

Photograph: Sam Bloxham / motorsport pictures

“My side wasn’t good enough. It’s always a bit of a mess, some of these safety car restarts, especially on a track like this. Two days, two poor guys on my side, I need to do better.”

Russell ended up entering no man’s land in eighth, so far behind Lando Norris in ninth that he could make a final pit stop to set the fastest lap on the soft tyre.

Overtaking in Baku was all-important, but Russell deftly snatched a spot from Stroll during the race’s only pitstop under the safety car before the restart.

Stroll appeared to step back and distance himself from lead team-mate Fernando Alonso, thereby giving his Aston Martin team more breathing room for a double pit stop.

Russell thought Stroll’s behavior “questionable,” but retaliated by pushing past the Canadian before the pit line.

“It worked in my hands and I managed to pass him on the way into the pit lane,” he explained.

“I think it’s against the rules to do what he did. It’s obviously a bit questionable, but it’s satisfying to get ahead.”

“Guys made a good pit stop and then it’s a pity I let it all slip away.

“We are very close to Aston Martin. Small differences can make a big difference in terms of results, but in the end we are at a disadvantage.”

Additional reporting by Adam Cooper