George Russell’s tyre gamble cost him dearly, while Antonelli found form too late in a tense Suzuka qualifying session for Mercedes.
It wasn’t the qualifying session George Russell had hoped for in Japan.
After showing decent pace in practice alongside the McLarens, the Mercedes driver found himself trailing not only both MCL39s but also beaten by Max Verstappen and Charles Leclerc. He’ll start fifth on the grid — a result that left him feeling underwhelmed.
“I’m definitely disappointed with P5,” Russell admitted. “I felt good all weekend, so it’s frustrating.”
With cooler temperatures in Q3, the Briton opted for a different tyre strategy, one that ultimately didn’t pay off.
“I tried something a little different with the tyres, but it didn’t work. Still, things could’ve been worse.”
Russell remains optimistic about race day, especially with unpredictable weather on the horizon.
“P5 is still a decent place to start. If it rains tomorrow, anything can happen. We’re in the mix for the podium — maybe not the win — but with changing conditions, you never know.”
Just behind him on the grid will be his teammate, Kimi Antonelli, who qualified sixth at Suzuka.
The rookie was candid about his struggles leading up to qualifying.
“I won’t lie — I felt totally lost in free practice,” Antonelli said. “I had no confidence and just couldn’t seem to make progress.”
Despite those early issues, the Italian took a big step forward in qualifying.
“It was a huge improvement, but I’m frustrated it came so late. If I’d made that jump earlier in the weekend, I could’ve been faster. It was just too big of a gap to close all at once.”
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Russell’s Risk Backfires as Antonelli Rallies Late
Russell’s Risk Backfires as Antonelli Rallies Late