Russell surprised by narrow gap to pole in ‘worst quali’ of season

George Russell emerged from Saturday’s Miami Grand Prix qualifying both frustrated and surprised, securing fifth place just two tenths shy of Max Verstappen’s pole despite describing the session as his “worst quali” of the 2025 Formula 1 season.

The Mercedes driver, typically a standout performer on Saturdays, struggled with a lack of confidence and car feel, making his P5 finish an unexpected salvage job in a session that felt disastrous.

Russell’s challenges were evident in Q2, where he languished in the elimination zone after a lackluster opening lap on used tyres.

A switch to fresh C5s unlocked enough pace to reach Q3, where he posted a time just 0.01s behind McLaren’s Oscar Piastri.

“I've been really struggling today, to be honest,” he said. “This whole weekend has just not been clicking for me.

“Quali's been a real strength of mine this season, but clearly whatever's been working so well this year for me, it does not work here in Miami. And Kimi's been doing a great job.”

©Mercedes

Indeed, his teammate, Kimi Antonelli, shone brightly, highlighting Russell’s comparative struggles.

“For me, worst quali of the year, but it could have been worse,” Russell continued. “I was really surprised to be this close to pole position because it felt really bad out there.

“I didn't feel confident in myself and I knew I couldn't drive to my potential because I didn't have the confidence. Days like this, it's sort of damage limitation – so P5 was a good thing all things considered.”

Tyre Troubles and Setup Woes

Russell pointed to difficulties in bringing the front tyres of his Silver Arrow into the right performance window, particularly in the demanding middle sector of the Miami circuit.

"It's how you drive always puts the tyres in a slightly different window. And clearly Kimi, from lap one this weekend, he's been really on it," he explained.

"He's been exceptionally fast, doing an amazing job – and for myself, I've taken a step backwards, so you know what's worked for me for these first five races did not work here in Miami."

Russell also believes an overnight change made things worse for Mercedes

"Pirelli increased the pressures last night which compounded the issue, and we know that out of the top four teams we're probably the worst in keeping the temperature out of the tyres."

Looking ahead to the race, he cautioned against expecting a miracle

"It's so close out there on a single lap, but I unfortunately expect that gap to extend tomorrow."

Despite his struggles, Russell’s ability to salvage a top-five result keeps Mercedes in the fight — and gives him a platform to limit the damage on Sunday.

Miami Grand Prix - Qualifying results

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