George Russell is perplexed by the velocity deficit he holds to fellow Mercedes-powered vehicles at this weekend’s Formulation 1 British Grand Prix after one other disappointing qualifying.
The Mercedes driver will begin Sunday’s race at Silverstone from fourth on the grid, behind his pole-winning team-mate Kimi Antonelli and the Ferraris of Charles Leclerc and Lewis Hamilton.
It continued an already underwhelming weekend for Russell, who solely certified fifth for the dash race earlier than ending fourth behind winner Antonelli, second-placed Hamilton and McLaren’s Lando Norris in third.
Russell is just on the again foot and he’s placing it all the way down to his straightline velocity struggles, because the Briton, who received in Austria final weekend, is lagging behind within the velocity lure.
The info from Silverstone qualifying has him Seventeenth-fastest at 299.8km/h, in comparison with Twelfth-placed Antonelli on 302.6km/h with Hamilton quickest by hitting 317.9km/h.
“All weekend we have been dropping a number of time within the straights,” mentioned Russell, who has Alex Albon’s Williams as the one Mercedes-powered automotive beneath him within the velocity lure.
“Yesterday in SQ3, it was nearly three tenths I misplaced within the straights. Once more, as we speak in qualifying, if you happen to take a look at the velocity traps, it is 3km/h down within the center sector, 6km/h down within the final sector, in comparison with my team-mate and in comparison with the McLaren vehicles.
“The staff are working tremendous arduous to know why that’s. We thought we discovered the issue this morning and we thought the brakes have been locking on, however we’re not satisfied that is the problem.
George Russell, Mercedes
Photograph by: Sam Bagnall / Sutton Pictures through Getty Pictures
“However it simply compounds every little thing when going into the session understanding you are at a little bit of a drawback.”
This is only one of a myriad of issues that pre-season title favorite Russell has confronted this yr, with him 43 factors down on championship chief Antonelli at spherical 9 this weekend.
Russell has merely struggled to construct momentum, and Q1 on Saturday even noticed the Briton bizarrely lock up into the barrier at Luffield – although from which he suffered no injury.
Regardless, he was by no means assured of reaching pole, nor for the dash or grand prix, and is pessimistic of claiming his third victory of 2026.
“It simply seems to be like I am working extra a draggier automotive,” he added. “If you happen to take a look at the velocity hint of qualifying yesterday and also you take a look at the velocity traps from as we speak, it is the identical.
“I would not have been on pole, for positive, however I positively would have been larger up yesterday.
“I’ve simply kind of felt on the again foot coming into as we speak and I will do my greatest tomorrow to get on the rostrum.”
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