THEY THINK IT'S WALL OVER...

Russell gutted as crash costs him shot at victory

- NEIL RANDON

GEORGE RUSSELL fought back tears as he admitted his "lapse in concentration let myself and the team down" to cost him victory at the Singapore Grand Prix.

The Briton believed he was "half-a-car's length" from winning, but hit the wall hard at Turn 10, spearing into the barriers and crashing out on the last lap.

Carlos Sainz - who had led throughout from pole position ended Max Verstappen's winning run with victory, with McLaren's Lando Norris second and Russell's Mercedes team-mate Lewis Hamilton third (all on podium, right).

"No words, to be honest," said an emotional Russell (right), who had started the race on the front row of the grid and was the fastest man on track for the majority of the 62 laps.

"We were half-a-car's length from winning the race had I got past Lando, when I had the opportunity, and then we would have got past Carlos.