P1racenews AI automatic summary:
George Russell has indicated that team-mate Kimi Antonelli’s spin in qualifying for F1’s Belgian GP Sprint contributed to being dumped out of SQ2.
George Russell expressed that Kimi Antonelli’s spin during Formula 1’s Belgian Grand Prix Sprint Race qualifying was a contributing factor to them both being eliminated in SQ2. Despite setting competitive times in FP1, with Russell in fourth and Antonelli in sixth, their chances were dashed when Antonelli spun at Stavelot in SQ1, leading to car damage that hindered their performance. Russell ended up starting the Sprint Race in 13th place, with Antonelli starting from the back of the grid. Russell dismissed the idea that track evolution played a role in their poor qualifying performance, attributing it instead to the gravel left on the track by Antonelli’s spin affecting the car’s handling. While Russell remains optimistic about making progress in the Sprint Race, he acknowledged the setback caused by the unexpected early exit in qualifying due to the car damage. Despite the delay in SQ3 to clear the circuit, Russell believes that the strong showing of the W16 in practice sessions indicates potential for improvement in the upcoming race.
