George Russell said he could have set an even quicker time in sprint race qualifying despite securing a front row start in Losail.
The Las Vegas Grand Prix winner split the two McLarens in Friday’s sprint qualifying session to line up second on the grid for Saturday’s sprint race.Russel was only six-hundredths of a second slower than Lando Norris over his fastest lap. However, he lost a small amount of time to the McLaren driver between turns 14 and 15 after suffering an apparent loss of power exiting the fast triple right hand sequence of turns 12, 13 and 14.
“I felt really strong all session,” Russell told the official F1 channel. “The car was really great. This circuit is really one of the best, when you get in the groove and that rhythm – it’s so fast.
“I went flat through the high speed [section] for the first time on my final lap in SQ3 and confused the engine a little bit. I don’t know how much I lost, but I had a big recharge on the exit of the corner because I went through it flat.
“It was a bit annoying when I’d just nailed it and then I lost a load of speed on the exit. But I think Lando was just a smidge out of reach.”
McLaren and Ferrari are involved in the only championship battle still alive entering the final two rounds. Despite being between both McLarens on the grid and ahead of both Ferraris, Russell says he is “definitely” looking to try and win Saturday’s sprint race.
“I think they’re in a championship fight. We’ve got nothing to lose. We’re going for the big result,” he said.
“We’ll try and make a good start. Of course the sprint is just a sprint. We need to put our focus on qualifying as well. But so far, so good.”
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2024 Qatar Grand Prix
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SPArtacus
30th November 2024, 5:16
George is getting even smugger than usual since winning Vegas and finally beating Hamilton on even terms. I’m so fast I confuse the car! And, yes, I understand the car has software customized for each turn and if you do something it doesn’t expect it can get confused.
Doh
30th November 2024, 5:38
It’s too obvious that it’s not Equal. From Lewis’s demeanor and things he’s been saying as well as toto himself saying about a month ago that they’re still experimenting. As reported on this site.
Applebook
30th November 2024, 6:45
It was clear that Bottas never had equal equipment or status to Lewis either. Therefore, Bottas is far better given the inferior equipment and “experimentation” that Toto and James forced upon him. I too can make absurd claims with no basis in reality. Actually, my Bottas conspiracy makes a lot more sense than yours. Here’s another conspiracy, after Nico beat Lewis fair and square, Nico was never going to have equal equipment again, so he chose to retire on top.
Sham (@sham)
30th November 2024, 7:35
I don’t know either way – maybe Hamilton is a fraction of a second behind the ultimate pace now,.or maybe the cars have a little between them.
We can’t know for sure – but there was certainly nothing wrong with Hamiltons race pace or race craft last weekend. He’s still got it, even if the last couple of tenths are missing. And if the last couple of tenths are not missing… I guess we see next year against LeClerc, one of the outright fastest drivers on the grid.
My money is that Hamilton is in the title fight if the Ferrari is competitive.
tielemst
30th November 2024, 9:18
Well, only if they give Lewis and Charles the same car of course.
Darren
1st December 2024, 18:25
David Coulthard has said on many occasions, “you never lose the speed, but you lose the need”.
There’s literally nothing for Lewis to play for this season once it became obvious the team is not winning the championship. He’s contractually obliged to do the job, he’s not involved in the development for next year, ticking off the calender weekends until a new challenge.
I’m not convinced he’ll find the need there either, but he will at least get to scratch the Ferrari itch.