George Russell secured Mercedes their first podium of the Method One season in Canada on Sunday however the Briton mentioned he ought to have finished higher than third and it was a “missed alternative.”

After taking pole place for the primary time since 2022, Russell led for the primary 21 laps of a moist to dry race earlier than McLaren’s Lando Norris after which Purple Bull’s eventual winner Max Verstappen went previous.

Russell regained second place from Norris on lap 27 through the first security automobile interval, misplaced it once more when he pitted on lap 45 for laborious tyres and took it again on lap 49.

Norris was again in entrance when Russell then misplaced management on a moist kerb and ran vast.

“Focus, George, focus,” workforce boss Toto Wolff advised him over the radio.

Third turned fourth, behind Oscar Piastri, and teammate Lewis Hamilton then seized his alternative after Russell got here off worse as he tried to overhaul McLaren’s Australian.

Russell, who had contemporary medium tyres for the closing laps after pitting through the second security automobile interval, then handed each Piastri and Hamilton, who was on hards, to get again on the ultimate step.

“It appears like a missed alternative, to be trustworthy,” mentioned Russell of his efforts. “We had been actually fast originally of the race on the inters, after which clearly Lando got here via actually quick.

“Then we acquired again on to the slicks, made a few errors on the market simply pushing the boundaries and paid the value for it.

“However, first podium of the yr and we actually had a extremely quick automobile this weekend and to be again within the combine preventing for victory was actually enjoyable.

“After we put the mediums on on the finish we had been actually, actually quick and I believe that mistake with Oscar once I tried overtaking him and I misplaced the place to Lewis value us not less than P2 and perhaps we may have fought with Max later within the race.”

Wolff mentioned victory would have been a protracted shot.

“You shouldn’t be too grasping,” mentioned the Austrian, whose workforce have been combating their automobile. “We have to take the positives. The automobile has made an actual step ahead, we’re bringing bits and the event course is true.”

Wolff mentioned the following race in Spain could be a superb take a look at and Russell hoped the workforce would once more be preventing on the entrance.

“This tempo enhance that we have seen from us this weekend, it hasn’t been a shock to us as a result of all of the numbers again on the manufacturing unit advised us we will be discovering an enormous chunk of efficiency with these upgrades,” he mentioned.

“So Barcelona goes to be fascinating for everyone, however I am assured we will be within the struggle.”