Brazilian GP F1: Russell fumes as Mercedes calls off his lap
The newsroomUpdated on November 8, 20264 minBrazilian GP F1: George Russell is furious after Mercedes told him to abort a lap in Q3, and Lando Norris then snatched pole position at Interlagos.
Key point
In Q3 at Interlagos, George Russell backed off on Mercedes' call while leading; Lando Norris beat his time on the next lap and took pole, but Russell, with a five-place grid penalty, starts seventh regardless.
Qualifying for the Formula 1 Brazilian Grand Prix left a bitter taste for George Russell. In Q3 at Interlagos, the Mercedes driver backed off a lap he believed was the pole lap, then watched Lando Norris (McLaren) take first place. Russell already had a five-place grid penalty for an engine change and could not have started from pole in any case.
A lap abandoned in the middle of Q3
On a soaked track, Russell led the first runs on intermediates and took four tenths out of Norris' initial benchmark. His race engineer, Marcus Dudley, then urged him to push for one more lap before the rain returned.
Russell then caught the back of Alex Albon's Williams in the second sector, prompting several radio messages. Shortly before the Junção corner, a quick call came to back off. At that very moment Norris crossed the line on a second timed lap and took about two tenths out of Russell's time to snatch pole.
What both sides say
Russell felt the sequence was a missed opportunity: he explained it was a miscommunication with the team and recalled that he had missed pole by nine milliseconds the previous week. Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff replied that Russell was very slightly ahead of Norris at that point but was catching Albon, which suggested he was about to lose time. In hindsight, with rain arriving on the next lap, he feels the team should have let the driver carry on, while accepting that it is easy to say after the event.
A lap probably compromised anyway
The Race's analysis tempers the criticism of the team. Because of his proximity to Albon, Russell had already posted three mini-sectors in a row slower than his previous lap, and Albon then locked up at Junção. According to that analysis, the lap would very probably have been disturbed and would not have been enough to beat Norris. Andrew Shovlin, Mercedes' trackside engineering director, pointed out that continuing risked compromising both that lap and the next.
Why it hurts
After a season that ended in a championship defeat to Kimi Antonelli, this moment of superiority over his team-mate mattered to Russell. He stressed that pole would have meant a lot to him.
What to watch
Russell starts seventh on Sunday, while Norris starts from pole.
The editorial team
Frequently asked questions
Why was George Russell furious after Brazilian GP qualifying?
His engineer advised him to abandon a lap he believed was good enough for pole. Lando Norris then improved the benchmark and took first place.
Could Russell have started from pole?
No. A five-place grid penalty for an engine change kept him off the front row; he starts seventh.
Does Mercedes admit a mistake?
Toto Wolff said that in hindsight, with rain arriving on the following lap, the team should have let Russell finish the lap, while adding that this is easy to say after the event.
Sources
- The Race — Why Russell's 'pole' was lost either way
- Motorsport.com — George Russell's Brazilian GP qualifying fury explained
Written by the Karrazmotorsport newsroom, proofread before publication. For settings, always refer to your vehicle's manual. Our charter.
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