George Russell said he was “pleased common sense prevailed” after his critical pole position for Sunday’s Austrian Grand Prix stood following Max Verstappen’s late crash.
Russell’s position at the front of the grid momentarily hung in the balance after the stewards noted him for a yellow-flag infringement at the Red Bull Ring’s penultimate corner.
Verstappen had crashed just ahead of Russell and, with the Dutchman’s Red Bull in the barriers – and a single yellow flag deployed to order oncoming drivers to slow down – it appeared as though Charles Leclerc, sitting at the top of the charts, would take pole. The Monegasque’s mechanics celebrated inside their Ferrari garage.
But Russell shattered their hopes when he burst over the line to topple Leclerc by 0.236 seconds, with Lewis Hamilton third and Russell’s title rival Kimi Antonelli, whom he trails by 50 points, down in fourth.
Antonelli aborted his last lap erroneously believing the more extreme double yellow flag had been deployed for Verstappen’s accident. It denied him a probable second on the grid.
For a moment, it seemed plausible that the noting of Russell’s infringement would be upgraded to an investigation only for the stewards to confirm they would take no further action in a major boost to Russell’s stuttering championship chances.
“I had a difficult session,” admitted Russell, who at one stage was facing elimination from the second phase of qualifying.
“I was almost out in Q2. But my first lap in Q3 was strong. And then I went through turn one on my final lap and I was a tenth and a half up. And then in turn three, I was another tenth and a half up, and in turn four another tenth and a half. The lap was unbelievable.
“I came across the single yellow flag in the final sector but I did a 100-metre lift and lost a huge amount of time. As it was a single yellow, I was pretty confident there was no danger and as soon as I turned into the corner I saw the green flag up ahead. I actually thought Verstappen had continued because I didn’t see him (in the wall) as his car was so far off the track.
“So, I am glad common sense prevailed there. I did everything right to be very much in control of the car.”
Russell will be desperate to convert his fourth pole of a title challenge blighted by bad luck, indifferent form and a mighty impressive Antonelli, into his first win since the season opener in Australia 111 days ago.
Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff told Russell over the radio to “just drive” as the Englishman struggled in the early part of qualifying.
Rebuffing the suggestion Wolff’s message sounded like an “order”, Russell said: “That’s probably the Austrian accent.
“Knowing your boss has 100 per cent faith and confidence in you. He has been the first to pick me up when things have not been going right, to remind me that ‘you have not forgotten how to drive and I know the speed you have got’.
“We speak every single day and those little messages throw me to conversations we have on a personal level. It reminds me I can do it. I have done it my entire career and there is no reason why I can’t do it today.
“Kimi has done an amazing job, day in day out this year, but do I have the confidence I can beat him? Yes, 100 per cent.”
Verstappen is due to start from fifth, despite his accident, one place clear of Lando Norris, with Oscar Piastri seventh in the other McLaren.
