George Russell remained composed despite a team error that hindered his chance to secure pole position at the Italian Grand Prix. The British driver qualified sixth at Monza, but due to a grid penalty for Lewis Hamilton, Russell will start the race in fifth position.
The day could have been more successful for Russell if not for a critical miscommunication within the team. Despite showing strong performance on medium tires earlier in qualifying, Russell intended to use them again for his final run alongside the top 10 drivers in the quest for pole position.
However, a mix-up occurred when Russell realized he had been equipped with the red soft compound tires instead of the mediums as requested. Acknowledging the misunderstanding, Russell took responsibility for the lack of clarity in his communication with the team.
Although disappointed with the outcome, Russell recognized that both he and the team shared the blame for the oversight. Mercedes still managed a decent result with both drivers securing the third row on the grid. Russell’s teammate, Kimi Antonelli, who has faced challenges in recent races, showed improved performance in qualifying.
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Reflecting on his qualifying performance, Antonelli expressed satisfaction with the progress made, considering the setbacks during practice sessions. Despite believing there was more potential for higher placement, Antonelli acknowledged the tight competition and slight speed disadvantage to Ferrari, making overtaking a challenging task in the upcoming race.