George Russell starts the Spanish GP from sixth place, behind his teammate Andrea Kimi Antonelli. While the young Italian had to concede only eleven thousandths to polesitter Lando Norris, his teammate ultimately could not compete in the fight for pole position. Russell himself explains why: “The tires couldn’t handle it, and after that I lost all lap time.”
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While Andrea Kimi Antonelli had to watch as Lando Norris took pole position just in front of him on the Madring, there was nothing left for George Russell but a sixth starting position. The Brit finished three tenths of a second behind his teammate. According to Russell, his lower starting position ultimately had nothing to do with him brushing the wall in Q1.
“I don’t think so, because on my next lap in Q1 we were faster,” the Brit told Sky Sports F1. To the media in Madrid he added: “Of course, I was a bit worried at that moment, but the car was fine. I then went out and was at the top of the session, and then I felt I was in it. But just that last lap, I was about three tenths ahead, tried to push hard in turn 11, the tires couldn’t handle it, and after that I lost all lap time. So that was a bit annoying.”
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According to the Mercedes driver, it was ultimately the circuit itself that kept him out of the fight for pole. “It’s a very tricky circuit,” he further told Sky. “You almost have to drive a bit below the limit, and then get that last bit out, and that’s what got me today.”
Changes to set-up
Mercedes team boss Toto Wolff also explains how changes to the set-up played a further role. “In qualifying, the rear axle also overheated,” the Austrian told ORF. “That wasn’t the case before. He also removed some front wing before the session and put it back on during the session. And then you don’t really know what to expect from the car. Normally, on street circuits, you have to drive lap after lap to get closer to the walls. Changing the set-up doesn’t help with that, of course.”
Read more Result Grand Prix Spain 2026
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