P1racenews AI automatic summary:
George Russell bemoaned the red flag in Q2 preventing him from having two attempts on new tyres in the final
Russell was the only Mercedes driver left in the pole position shootout after his teammate Lewis Hamilton’s error at Turn 14 led to his elimination in Q1. Despite this, Russell qualified eighth for the race, with Nico Hulkenberg’s Haas and Valtteri Bottas’ Sauber behind him in Q3. A red flag in Q2 due to Carlos Sainz’s spin forced Russell to abandon his first lap, affecting his strategy for the session and potentially costing him a second set of new tires for Q3. Russell acknowledged the setback but remains optimistic about the race, anticipating unpredictable outcomes. He managed to make it to the top-10 shootout after a disappointing 11th place finish in Sprint Qualifying and made setup adjustments with the new regulations in place to enhance his car’s performance. Russell foresees a battle with McLaren and Fernando Alonso’s Aston Martin during the race, considering Ferrari to have an edge in long-run pace compared to other competitors.
