George Russell expressed frustration over a costly misjudgement during qualifying at the Sao Paulo Grand Prix, which ultimately handed Lando Norris pole position. Despite securing the fastest lap time initially, changing track conditions and a tactical error on his final run left the Mercedes driver lamenting a missed opportunity.
Qualifying Misjudgement and Grid Penalty
Russell had set the pace early in the session but failed to improve on his final attempt as the track evolved. Compounding the disappointment, Russell faces a five-place grid penalty that will demote him from his starting position down to seventh place.
Reflecting on the session, Russell explained that he misjudged the timing and preparation for his final flying lap. “Just a bit of misjudgement at the end,” Russell said. “We went out, we were the first car on track, and the track was just getting quicker and quicker. I probably should have done an extra lap, but I pitted for a new set of inters and the tyres weren’t working.”
Antonelli Secures Front-Row Start
Although Russell’s five-place grid penalty will demote him to P7, Mercedes will still be on course to score the three extra points they need to beat Ferrari to the Teams’ Championship, especially with Antonelli starting on the front row.
The Italian didn’t look as confident as Russell throughout Qualifying and wound up 0.625s adrift of Norris’ time, but moving up to P2 on the grid will put him in a strong position to add a 10th Grand Prix win to his tally.
“[It was] very difficult trying to understand this track in the wet,” Antonelli admitted. “It was [my] first time around here in the wet, and it just was not easy.
“Very slippery but I think in Q3 there was a lot more. I just made two big mistakes during the lap and that cost us the chance for a better position.
“I’m looking forward to [the race] if it’s wet. Obviously I have a lot more experience now with the car, so if it’s wet it’s going to be fun, but if it’s dry we’re going to do our best. I think overall there’s been big learning this session. Not how I wanted it to go, but still decent.”
