George Russell praised a notable improvement in Mercedes’ performance after qualifying fourth for the Hungarian Grand Prix, in a session shaped by rapidly changing conditions and unpredictable grip levels.
The tightness of the Saturday shootout was on full display with Russell ending up just 0.053s behind poleman Charles Leclerc, while only half a second separated the top ten.
But cooler track temperatures and shifting wind levels from Q1 to Q3 threw a curveball at teams, although Mercedes, running an older suspension setup this weekend, seemed to adapt well – and Russell’s result marked a sharp turnaround from earlier sessions.
“It was a really weird session – everybody went so much slower in Q3,” Russell explained.
“I’m not going to kick myself too much because I went a tenth slower and the majority went about three- or four-tenths slower.”
"A Big Step Forward" Despite Shifting Conditions
After struggling earlier in the weekend, Russell was encouraged by the pace Mercedes found when it counted.
“I think as always, if you’re P4 and half a tenth off, it’s always like, ‘What if?’, and I made a bit of a mistake,” he said. “P4, compared to yesterday and this morning, is clearly a big step forward.”
Track temperatures dropped from 55°C before qualifying to just 37°C by the end of Q3, creating a scenario that Russell said had a dramatic effect on car balance and performance.
“I think confused is maybe not the right word. It’s just like you have no idea,” he added.
“The track by the end of Q3 was 37 degrees, but 20 minutes before Qualifying it was 55 degrees. That’s going to play a huge role in our performance.”
Looking ahead to Sunday, Russell is eyeing a potential battle at the front: “I hope I can fight with Charles at least, but the Astons look surprisingly strong too.”
Antonelli Misses Q3 After Frustrating Lap
While Russell shone in the final shootout, his Mercedes teammate Kimi Antonelli missed out on Q3 after struggling for grip in his last run. The Italian rookie initially placed 11th, but his time was deleted for exceeding track limits, leaving him 15th on the grid.
“I don’t know, the last lap I had no rear-end – the grip was completely gone,” Antonelli said. “Already from Turn 1 I had a massive slide and then it just went worse and worse during the lap.
“I don’t really know what to say. Obviously it’s quite annoying because the confidence was good. Once again, things didn’t go our way.”
©Mercedes
Despite the disappointment, Antonelli believes there was real potential in the car.
“Definitely the car was better and it gave me the confidence, which was nice,” he added.
“That’s why today is very annoying, because definitely the pace was there, and it’s just a shame that we weren’t able to show it.”
With changing conditions continuing to play a key role this weekend, both Mercedes drivers are aiming to make the most of Sunday’s race – Russell from the second row, and Antonelli with a chance to charge forward.
Read also: Wolff rubbishes Mercedes 'crisis meeting' reports after Belgian GP
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