Mercedes F1 hopeful George Russell has apologised for a high-speed crash with Silver Arrows driver Valtteri Bottas at the Emilia Romagna Grand Prix.
Russell, driving for Williams, collided with Bottas while attempting to overtake on lap 32.
Both drivers were furious after the 300km/h crash, insisting the other was at fault as their cars were left in ruins. Stewards deemed it a racing incident.
Yet Mercedes boss Toto Wolff slammed Russell and suggested that he had harmed his standing with the team by taking out Bottas with a risky move. Russell subsequently offered an apology via social media.
© dpa/picture alliance via Getty IGeorge Russell stands by the race car of Valtteri Bottas after a crash in the F1 Emilia Romagna Grand Prix.
"Yesterday wasn't my proudest day," Russell wrote.
"I knew it would be one of our best opportunities to score points this season and, when those points matter as much as they do to us right now, sometimes you take risks.
"It didn't pay off and I have to take responsibility for that. Having had time to reflect on what happened afterwards, I know I should have handled the whole situation better.
"Emotions can run high in the heat of the moment and yesterday mine got the better of me.
"I apologise to Valtteri, to my team and to anyone who felt let down by my actions. That's not who I am and I expect more from myself, as I know others expect more from me.
"I've learned some tough lessons this weekend and will come out of this a better driver and a better person for the experience," continued Russell in his statement.
"Now it's full focus on Portugal and a chance to show what I'm really about. Thanks for all the messages, both positive and negative. They will all help me to grow."
Russell dazzled during a stand-in drive last season for Mercedes at the Sakhir Grand Prix. He was challenging for the lead before a botched pit-stop condemned him to ninth; which Wolff branded "a colossal f--- up".
"It's just the beginning of a fairytale that didn't work out today and I will say a new star is born," Wolff said.
Yet the Mercedes principal was damning of Russell after the crash at Imola.
"The whole situation should have never happened," Wolff said.
"Valtteri had a bad first 30 laps and shouldn't have been there. But George should have never launched into this manoeuvre, considering that the track was drying up.
"It meant taking risks, and the other car is a Mercedes in front of him. In any driver's development, for a young driver, you must never lose this global perspective. So yeah, lots to learn for him I guess."
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