12/04/2025 19:50
George Russell has revealed the cause behind his sensational
qualifying lap at the Bahrain International Circuit to clinch
second on the grid for the grand prix in Sakhir. Heading into the
final part of the grid-setting session, it looked as if the best on
offer was third. The British driver did not appear to be within
touching distance of the leading McLarens of Oscar Piastri and
Lando Norris. Whilst a scruffy lap for the latter opened the door
for second on the grid, Russell was surprisingly close to Piastri,
who took pole. The Mercedes driver was within two-tenths of a
second of the Australian, who is starting his 50th grand prix in
Bahrain. "Yeah, 100%," Russell agreed when asked if he would have
taken a slot on the front row before the session under the Sakhir
lights. "I think if anybody said we'd be within half a second of
the McLarens, we'd have taken it, because we would have thought
that would have been sort of P3 on the grid, so to be second on the
grid is a bonus. "Congrats to Oscar, great lap, and excited for
tomorrow now." Russell and team-mate Kimi Antonelli are both under
investigation for leaving their pit garages too early ahead of the
session resumption in Q2 and after the Esteban Ocon-induced red
flag. It is not yet clear whether they will be handed grid
penalties for the grand prix. Aside from that, Russell explained
where the surprise pace came from for his W16, after being half a
second shy of the McLarens in the third and final practice session.
"I gotta be honest, I think the strides were being made with the
night time coming in and the track temperature getting a little bit
cooler. "We saw it this morning in practice three, when it was
roasting hot, the McLarens were down the road. "And now, as this
session unfolded, we just seemed to get quicker and quicker. So
yeah, lining up P2 is a great, great chance tomorrow, but I think
being realistic, it will be a challenge to fight with Oscar."
