George Russell Reflects on Struggles in Miami Grand Prix Qualifying

Miami, Florida — George Russell faced a tough qualifying session at the Miami Grand Prix, stating that nothing seemed to click for him on track. The Mercedes driver qualified fifth, nearly two-tenths away from the pole position. This marked the first time this season that teammate Kimi Antonelli out-qualified him.

Antonelli had a strong weekend, achieving pole in sprint qualifying despite a pit lane incident with Max Verstappen that affected his sprint race. He rebounded to qualify third for the grand prix, right behind Verstappen and Daniel Ricciardo.

After the session, Russell admitted, “I’ve been really struggling today, to be honest. This whole weekend has just not been clicking for me.” He also noted, “Qualifying is a real strength of mine this season, but clearly whatever’s been working so well for me doesn’t work here in Miami.”

Setting his sights on the race, Russell could find solace in his position, seeing P5 as a good outcome. “I didn’t feel confident in myself and I knew I couldn’t drive to my potential. Days like this are sort of damage limitation,” he said.

Russell explained the challenges he faced, particularly with tire performance. “It’s how you drive that puts the tires in a different window,” he noted. “Kimi has been exceptionally fast, while I’ve taken a step backward.” He also pointed out that Pirelli’s increased tire pressures compounded his difficulties.

Despite the struggles, Russell remains a consistent performer, currently fourth in the drivers’ standings and just 26 points behind leader Oscar Piastri. As he prepares for tomorrow’s race, Russell hopes to regain his confidence and improve his performance on track.