Russell takes Sprint pole for Mercedes at Dutch GP, Antonelli P5
George Russell returned from the summer break to put Mercedes on sprint pole at Zandvoort, with Kimi Antonelli fifth.
- 1:11.567
- 1:11.794
- 0.2 s
- 24 laps
What Happened
Mercedes returned from Formula 1's summer break with a strong Friday at Zandvoort. George Russell secured pole position for Saturday's sprint after FP1 ran in damp conditions, and teammate Kimi Antonelli will start fifth. The field was tightly packed, with Antonelli just two tenths slower than Russell.
- FP1 P3 (1:13.278), SQ3 P1 (1:11.567)
- FP1 P1 (1:13.668), SQ3 P5 (1:11.794)
1:11.567min:sec
Russell's fastest lap in Sprint Qualifying 3.
Antonelli ran wide in SQ1 due to a gust of wind, damaging his car's underbody. Despite the team's repair efforts, he struggled in slow corners and qualified fifth. Andrew Shovlin, Trackside Engineering Director, said the team needs to analyze performance in faster corners and acknowledged Ferrari looked stronger on long runs.
FP1 in mixed conditions; Sprint Qualifying results in Russell pole, Antonelli P5.
24-lap Sprint, then Grand Prix qualifying in the late afternoon.
“Congratulations to George and the team! It's nice to return after the break and start with a sprint pole.”
Previously from Mercedes-Benz
Coming into this weekend after Formula 1's summer break, Mercedes had said its car had the pace but self-inflicted mistakes had cost points, with a clean Hungarian GP result the goal before the break.
Background drawn from MotorClaw's earlier coverage of Mercedes-Benz's official releases.
Why this matters
After a summer break that followed a Hungarian GP where Mercedes admitted mistakes cost points, a sprint pole shows the team's pace is back. It gives Russell a strong chance in Saturday's 24-lap sprint, though the team warns McLaren and Ferrari are close.
Terms in This Story
- Sprint
- A shorter race held on the Saturday of certain Formula 1 weekends.
- Pole position
- The first starting slot on the grid, given to the fastest qualifier.
- Slicks
- Smooth, treadless tires used in dry conditions for maximum grip.
Summarised from the linked release; details can be imperfect — always verify against the original source.