Russell left shocked and bemused with pole: 'We don't understand it'
F1 News
George Russell was surprised by his pole position during the Las Vegas Grand Prix weekend. The Mercedes driver was delighted by the lap, but it also showed that Mercedes still did not fully understand their car.
Mercedes set the pace from the off in Las Vegas. Mercedes topped all three qualifying sessions, and now Russell has secured himself pole positon for the Las Vegas Grand Prix. Mercedes were able to win races earlier in the season, but has been off the pace in recent weeks.
Did Russell expect pole position in Las Vegas?
"Honestly, absolutely not. It feels incredible to be back on pole, and we've been so quick all weekend," Russell said. He hit the wall during his first lap in Q3. "I had a bit of a moment on my first run where we had to change the front wing. I thought I wasn't going to make the flag for a moment. So happy," Russell said.
However, Mercedes are still scratching their heads. "We've got to do some deep diving to understand why it has been so quick because it's been a real surprise. Ultimately, you have to put it on the table sometimes. I felt confident in myself. I knew if I did a clean lap, it would be enough to secure a front row. We need to convert it into a win now," Russell concluded.
He will have to do it alone on Sunday in the Las Vegas Grand Prix. Hamilton only managed to set the 10th fastest time.