- Joined
- May 8, 2002
- Posts
- 469,525
- Reaction score
- 45
You must be registered for see images attach
Motorsport photo
George Russell admitted he was surprised to be within two tenths of Max Verstappen's Miami Grand Prix pole lap, noting it was his "worst quali" of the Formula 1 season so far.
Mercedes driver Russell appeared to be in strife during the second phase of qualifying and was sat in the elimination zone after his opening lap, albeit on used tyres, with a clear disparity between himself and team-mate Andrea Kimi Antonelli.
George Russell, Mercedes
You must be registered for see images attach
George Russell, MercedesSam Bloxham / Motorsport Images
Sam Bloxham / Motorsport Images
Russell says that unlocking performance from the front tyres was the likely culprit, and that he was struggling to feel the front-end bite in the middle sector of the lap.
He suggested that an overnight increase in tyre pressures "compounded the issue", particularly as he felt that Mercedes was likeliest of the frontrunning teams to suffer as a result.
"It's how you drive always puts the tyres in a slightly different window. And clearly Kimi, from lap one this weekend, he's been really on it.
"He's been exceptionally fast, doing an amazing job – and for myself, I've taken a step backwards, so you know what's worked for me for these first five races did not work here in Miami.
"With sprint races, when you start on the back foot, it's a bit difficult to to turn it around and that was the case. I was always struggling a lot in that middle sector, sector two – the front end was just not coming to me.
"Pirelli increased the pressures last night which compounded the issue, and we know that out of the top four teams we're probably the worst in keeping the temperature out of the tyres.
"It's so close out there on a single lap, but I unfortunately expect that gap to extend tomorrow."
To read more Motorsport.com articles visit our website.
Continue reading...
