Why did George Russell miss the F1 Miami GP post-race press conference? All about the Mercedes driver's health scare after the race

George Russell skipped the top three drivers' press conference after the Miami Grand Prix due to medical reasons. He apparently suffered from stomach cramps and struggled to stand, which made him seek medical care.

The Mercedes driver finished P3 after a hard-fought race. Though he started the race from P5, a mistake from Lando Norris at Turn 1 allowed him to gain a place. Moreover, he pitted under the virtual safety car and came out ahead of Max Verstappen and his teammate Kimi Antonelli to hold P3.

Russell defended well against Verstappen and crossed the checkered flag 32 seconds behind McLaren driver Lando Norris (P2). While the Brit appeared for the immediate interview held after the race on the track, he skipped the top three drivers' press conference, citing medical reasons.

George Russell reportedly suffered stomach cramps during the last 10 laps of the Miami Grand Prix. He struggled to stand still and felt a heavy weight around his belly, which required medical care.

“The last 15 laps I got this horrendous stomach cramp, and I’m struggling a lot now. I can’t stand straight; my stomach’s really causing me grief. I need to understand what went wrong there. I had a slightly bigger breakfast than normal, so that might be the reason," Russell said, via crash.net.

The reason behind his medical scare was likely a heavy breakfast. A change in his eating pattern in the morning could have caused the cramps.

“I’m feeling really ill right now. It happens to me maybe twice per season, sometimes to do with my breakfast. I had a slightly different breakfast this morning. I woke up early and had some avocado toast, which was probably not the smartest idea at seven in the morning. Then I had a flat white, which probably wasn’t smart either, so there are some reasons for this," he told BBC.

With four podium wins in six races, Russell is now placed in fourth position in the championship race with 93 points.

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George Russell retained his P3 finish in Miami despite Red Bull's protest

George Russell at F1 Grand Prix of Miami - Source: Getty

While George Russell crossed the checkered flag in P3 in Miami, he wasn't out of the woods. Red Bull protested to the FIA and accused the Mercedes driver of yellow flag infringement. They argued that Russell failed to slow down, as his pace in the yellow flag zone was faster than what he had when he entered the zone.

However, FIA rejected the protest, saying Russell lifted off the throttle and was slower in the yellow flag zone, compared to what his pace could have been in actual racing conditions.

Hence, George Russell's actions didn't fall under any infringement, and he was allowed to retain his P3 position. Additionally, Red Bull lost a €2000 protest fee.