Mercedes
The Mercedes was another car that looked a handful in practice, Hamilton and Russell both spinning on different parts of the track. But they managed to find a better set-up for Sprint Qualifying, with Hamilton in particular looking fast. He was the pick of the two drivers until SQ3, when the team sent them out earlier than the rest. That was a masterstroke as they seemed to have the better conditions, and while Russell nailed his lap to sit top – only beaten late on by a great effort from Verstappen – Hamilton was forced to lift off for yellow flags as Colapinto spun in front of him. That cost him any chance of pole today.
Lewis Hamilton, 7th, 1:33.378
“That was a real shame today as I got unlucky with a yellow flag. I was four tenths up on my lap and looking good for P1, but it is what it is. The good thing is that we seem to have made a step forward with the car. The update we have brought here was working well and I am really grateful to everyone back at the factory for their hard work. The last few races haven’t been straightforward, but everyone has done a great job to bring this upgrade.
“We also did some strong work after FP1 to improve the car for Sprint Qualifying. Sprint weekends add an extra level of jeopardy with a second parc fermé, but as soon as we took to the track, I knew we had made some good choices. Despite our disappointment today, we have another go at it tomorrow and we will be giving it our best.”
George Russell, 2nd, 1:32.845
“I’m really happy with how today went. It has been a while since we qualified on the front-row so we can be pleased with the progress we have made. The update kit we brought here seems to be working well although it has surprised us a little how competitive we were today. Sprint Qualifying was a tricky session, but I was able to put my lap in SQ3 together. The final sector in particular was strong and that is what enabled us to take P2.
“Lewis was very quick today, and he was unlucky to be caught out by a yellow flag. We both should have been up there but it’s great that, as a team, we were back in the mix today. It is also clearly very close with several other outfits including Red Bull, Ferrari, and McLaren. Hopefully we can continue this form into the weekend and look forward to fighting at the front.”
READ MORE: ‘This is what excites me about Formula 1’ – Russell targets Sprint victory after narrowly missing out on pole
Andrew Shovlin, Trackside Engineering Director
“We can take many positives but ultimately, we end the day slightly frustrated. Lewis was on for a lap that would have been more than enough for P1. We had opted to go on the early side to avoid any interruptions with yellows on a busy track at the end of the session. Unfortunately, and ironically, Lewis caught a yellow flag following a spin for the Williams of Colapinto at turn 12. That put paid to his challenge for the front-row and he will line up P7.
“George wasn’t as comfortable with the car today as Lewis but it’s a clear sign of progress that he was still able to take P2. We have brought an update kit this weekend and its introduction has been straightforward. It is of course only one day of running but it does look like we are seeing the gains we hoped for. We will look to continue that momentum into the rest of the weekend.”
