George Russell’s surprising 5th-place qualification has him hopeful for a strong race performance, despite struggling with grip and consistency all weekend.
Mercedes F1 driver George Russell secured 5th place on the grid for the Miami Grand Prix, a result he didn’t expect. The British driver struggled with grip during qualifying, admitting that at one point, he thought a top-five finish was out of reach.
“At that point, I would have been happy with 5th place, being just a tenth off pole,” Russell said. “I really don’t know what’s going on this weekend. In FP1, I felt great in the car, every lap was solid. But in qualifying, both yesterday and today, I just couldn’t get the feeling I needed. It wasn’t ideal. So, I’m content with 5th, even though we’re not where we should be.”
Now, Russell’s focus shifts to the race, where he hopes to turn things around and push his way onto the podium. He expects a challenging race, full of surprises and opportunities to make up ground.
“I’m hopeful that things will be better during the race,” he added. “I’m sure they will be! 5th is a solid starting position. We’ve seen how quickly things can change, and the race will be long. Weather could play a role, so there will be plenty of chances for things to shift.”
- Discover More>Sainz and Albon Deliver Strong Results at Miami GP
- Follow us on >FACEBOOK and >TWITTERfor F1 update