George Russell admitted he was stunned to be inside two tenths of Max Verstappen’s Miami Grand Prix pole lap, noting it was his “worst quali” of the Method 1 season thus far.
Mercedes driver Russell gave the impression to be in strife through the second part of qualifying and was sat within the elimination zone after his opening lap, albeit on used tyres, with a transparent disparity between himself and team-mate Andrea Kimi Antonelli.
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The Briton booked his place in Q3 along with his second effort of the intermediate stage, this time on new C5s, after which certified fifth for the grand prix – simply 0.01s behind McLaren’s Oscar Piastri.
Russell reckoned that qualifying had been “a power of mine” over 2025, however felt too uncomfortable within the automobile in Miami to ship the efficiency he’d anticipated. Nonetheless, he was glad to mitigate the injury by stepping into the highest 5.
“I have been actually struggling at present, to be trustworthy. This entire weekend has simply not been clicking for me,” Russell defined.
“Quali’s been an actual power of mine this season, however clearly no matter’s been working so properly this yr for me, it doesn’t work right here in Miami. And Kimi’s been doing an amazing job.
“For me, worst quali of the yr, but it surely might have been worse. I used to be actually stunned to be this near pole place as a result of it felt actually dangerous on the market.
“I did not really feel assured in myself and I knew I could not drive to my potential as a result of I did not have the arrogance. Days like this, it is form of injury limitation – so P5 was an excellent factor all issues thought of.”
George Russell, Mercedes
Picture by: Sam Bloxham / Motorsport Photos
Russell says that unlocking efficiency from the entrance tyres was the doubtless perpetrator, and that he was struggling to really feel the front-end chunk within the center sector of the lap.
He instructed that an in a single day improve in tyre pressures “compounded the problem”, notably as he felt that Mercedes was likeliest of the frontrunning groups to undergo consequently.
“It is the way you drive at all times places the tyres in a barely completely different window. And clearly Kimi, from lap one this weekend, he is been actually on it.
“He is been exceptionally quick, doing an incredible job – and for myself, I’ve taken a step backwards, so you already know what’s labored for me for these first 5 races didn’t work right here in Miami.
“With dash races, whenever you begin on the again foot, it is a bit troublesome to show it round and that was the case. I used to be at all times struggling quite a bit in that center sector, sector two – the entrance finish was simply not coming to me.
“Pirelli elevated the pressures final night time which compounded the problem, and we all know that out of the highest 4 groups we’re in all probability the worst in preserving the temperature out of the tyres.
“It is so shut on the market on a single lap, however I sadly anticipate that hole to increase tomorrow.”
Images from Miami GP – Dash and Qualifying
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Jake Boxall-Legge
Method 1
George Russell
Mercedes
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