‘Danger!’ - Rapid Lance Stroll warning prevents collision with George Russell

A rapid warning from Lance Stroll’s engineer helped the Aston Martin driver avoid a potential collision with George Russell’s stricken Mercedes at the F1 Australian Grand Prix.

Russell lost control of his car and crashed at the blind Turn 6 - one of the fastest corners at the Albert Park circuit - in pursuit of Fernando Alonso amid a late battle over sixth place.

The Mercedes driver ended up being flipped on his side and was left stricken in the middle of the track, creating a dangerous situation.

Russell’s panic was evident in his radio message in which he pleaded for a red flag. Race control instead deployed a swift Virtual Safety Car.

Stroll was the first driver to arrive at the scene of Russell’s shunt but fast reactions from his race engineer Ben Michell helped avoid a potentially catastrophic accident.

Previously unseen footage has now emerged, revealing how the incident unfolded from Stroll’s perspective as the Canadian slowed and cautiously made his way through the debris field.

Michell to Stroll: “Yellow ahead, Russell off Turn 6. Yellow ahead. Yellow ahead. Yellow ahead."

BM: “Danger, he’s in the track. Danger. Be careful, careful, careful."

BM: “VSC. Once it’s Safety Car, delta positive.”

LS: “Woah, is he ok?”

BM: “I don’t know, mate.”

BM: “The driver has said he’s okay, Lance. Focus on your delta.”

It was Michell’s final race working on the pit wall with Stroll.

RB’s Yuki Tsunoda was the next driver to arrive but by the time he did the VSC had already been activated.

The stewards imposed a 20-second penalty on Alonso for “potentially dangerous driving” in front of Russell before his big crash.

Alonso subsequently dropped from sixth to eighth in the final results, with teammate Stroll promoted to P6.