George Russell remained positive despite a team mistake that hindered his qualifying performance at Monza for the Italian Grand Prix. The British driver qualified sixth but will move up to fifth due to a grid penalty for Lewis Hamilton. Russell’s day could have been better if not for a miscommunication with his team regarding tire selection for his final run in the top 10 shootout.
Despite being quick on medium tires earlier in qualifying, Russell found himself with the wrong set of red soft compound tires instead of the preferred yellow-walled rubber. He expressed his frustration over the radio but later acknowledged that the error was partly his fault for not communicating clearly with the team.
Russell stated that he had signaled his preference for the medium tires after a strong performance in Q1 but admitted that the misunderstanding arose from inadequate communication between him and the team. He took responsibility for assuming the tire strategy without confirming it thoroughly with the team.
Despite the setback, Mercedes had a decent overall result with both their drivers starting from the third row. Russell will line up ahead of teammate Kimi Antonelli, who showed improved form in qualifying after a challenging period.
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Reflecting on his qualifying performance, Antonelli expressed satisfaction with his starting position despite feeling there was more potential for a higher grid slot. He acknowledged the tight competition and noted a slight disadvantage in top-line speed compared to Ferrari, making overtaking a challenge at the circuit.