George Russell: Max Verstappen can back McLaren up without 'doing anything crazy'

George Russell has warned McLaren that Max Verstappen will be able to back them up without doing “anything crazy”.

F1 has a three-way title fight which will be settled at Sunday’s Abu Dhabi Grand Prix.

Lando Norris holds a 12-point lead over Verstappen and needs only a podium to secure the title.

Verstappen starts from pole position but must win the race with Norris finishing lower than third.

Speaking to Viaplay after qualifying, Russell explained why he hopes Verstappen keeps the lead at Turn 1.

“I hope Max is still leading after Lap 1. He’s not just going to drive into the distance, you don’t need to drive like a hooligan, not do anything crazy just to manage the pace..

“You see many drivers do this.. Monaco, Singapore, this is normal. Hopefully for us he’s still leading after lap 1, and then I’m sure there will be some opportunities.”

Russell will “treat it like any other race”

Russell is set to start the race from fourth on the grid, directly behind the three title contenders.

The British driver has no plans to change his approach as he looks to end the year on a high.

“My mood is the same as any other race to be honest,” Russell explained.

“I know what’s on the line for those three but I’ve got to treat it like a normal race. I think in normal circumstances we don’t have the pace but obviously if Lap 1 finishes in the order we start the race I can’t imagine Max just driving off into the sunset so there could be opportunity.

“I am going to treat it like any other race. If there’s an opportunity or a gap… if this was race one of the season I wouldn’t be aiming to do anything reckless but I am not going to leave opportunities on the table. I want to finish on the podium and finish this year on a high. I have got to be honest, I won’t sleep better or worse no matter who wins the championship tomorrow. I will be doing my own thing and go from there.

“That’s not the intention of any driver. As I said, I won’t be risking more. I won’t be risking less. I’m just going about my business as normal.”