George Russell expresses disappointment after finishing seventh in Jeddah’s qualifier. The Mercedes driver’s error thwarted his second-row hopes.
George Russell did not hide his frustration after the qualifying session in Jeddah, where he finished seventh. The Mercedes F1 driver had hoped to qualify on the second row but missed his target due to a mistake.
“It’s somewhat disappointing, I made a mistake with the new tires at the end. My first Q3 lap on worn tires was strong, and I was two-tenths ahead but then lost the car in turn 9,” Russell lamented.
“A fourth-place finish was possible, and I blame myself. However, we’re learning the car. We were well-placed yesterday, and a bit lower in the hierarchy today. We need to understand what’s happening, but there’s potential.”
He commended the debut of his fellow countryman Ollie Bearman, stepping in for Carlos Sainz at Ferrari: “First off, I hope Carlos is alright. I’m very impressed by Ollie; he had some great laps in Mexico with Haas last year, and he’s exceeded my expectations because it’s very difficult to start like that in EL3.”
Hamilton Faces Tough Qualifying Outcome
Lewis Hamilton also hoped for a better outcome, especially after a promising third free practice session. Ultimately, the seven-time world champion finished eighth and will share the fourth row on the starting grid with his teammate.
“It was a very tough day, and yesterday was challenging too,” admitted Hamilton. “I was much happier in EL3; the car was better, but in qualifying, it was like yesterday. I struggled and lost a lot of time.”
Asked about Bearman’s performance, Hamilton too praised his young compatriot, noting the pressure on his shoulders: “I didn’t see his qualifying, but he’s done an incredible job in practice.”
“Jumping into the car and making his debut in EL3, to be at the level he is, is very impressive. It also underscores that their car is pretty good, but it’s also down to the driver. I wish him a good race.”
Russell’s Jeddah Frustration Aims Missed by Error . Russell’s Jeddah Frustration Aims Missed by Error
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