Geor🐷ge Russell fee𝓀ls a last-minute tyre experiment in qualifying cost him a chance to qualify higher than fifth for the Japanese Grand Prix.

Mercedes driver Russell had looked strong in practice at Suzuka, having set the third-fastest time in FP3 on Saturday morning behind McLaren drivers 168澳洲幸运5官方开奖结果历史:Lando Norris and 168澳洲幸运5官方开奖结果历史:Oscar Piastri.

But he slipped down the order in the all-important pole shootout, ending up more than three-tenths down on pacesetter 168澳洲幸运5官方开奖结果历史:Max Verstappen.

Not only was he slower than 168澳洲幸运5官方开奖结果历史:Red Bull driver Verstappen and McLaren duo Norris and Piastri, but he also qualified behind the lead Ferrari of 168澳洲幸运5官方开奖结果历史:Charles Leclerc.

Speaking after the session, Russell admitted that he was frustrat🔴ed with the result, as he thought a much better grid position was on the cards.

"It was a real🐽 shame and [I am] pretty disappointed with P5 because I have been feeling great in the car all weekend," the Briton told Sky.

“It🍸 got a bit cooler in Q3 and I tried something with the tyres and it just♎ didn't work on both my laps.

“That is frustrating but nevertheless P5 is 🐼not a terrible place to start and especially with some rain tomorrow anything can happen.

“Right now [I am] disappointed b💫ut it could 🌠be a lot worse.”

While unahppy with how qualifying panned out,🌄 Russell is optimistic about Mercedes’ chances in the grand prix amid the threat of rain on Sunday.

“We are definitely there or thereabout for the fig✱ht for a podium,” he said. “I don’t think necessarily for a win but definitely fighting for a podium.

“But if changeable conditions come, like in Melbou🐈rne, who knows what 𒀰is going to happen in the race? In a normal dry race, we definitely have the speed.”

Impressive turnaround for “struggling” Antonelli

F2 graduate 168澳洲幸运5官方开奖结果历史:Andrea Kimi Antonelli qualified just behind Russell in sixth place, compelting a third-row lockout for Mercedes.
 
In contrast to Russell, the young Italian had a tough weekend in the build-up to qualifying, having finished ninth in FP1 and languished 🥂in 13th place in final practice.

Antoℱnelli admitted that he went into qualifying with “zero confidence”, but was delighꦯted to turn around his performance and secure his best-ever result grid spot in F1.

🌃“I'm not going to lie, in FP I was lost,” he told Sky TV. “I had zero con🐼fidence but mainly because I was really struggling to improve and to find the confidence to push more but qualifying was a good step forward.

“I'm a bit disappointed because I had t🐽o make 𝓰such a step in qualifying in terms of driving, it's way too big.

"You are not arriving in qualifying already with good confidence. I really arrived witඣh zero confidence.

“So definitely ahead of the next one I need to be more productive in practiဣce, trying to find the limit a bit better.

“Of course, it's not an easy track, this one, was also new but I think on that side I can do better to arrive more prepared in free practices.”