Russell “confused the engine” by taking corners flat out on fastest lap · RaceFans

George Russell said he could have set an even quicker time in sprint race qualifying despite securing a front row start in Losail.

The Las Vegas Grand Prix winner split the two McLarens in Friday’s sprint qualifying session to line up second on the grid for Saturday’s sprint race.

Russel was only six-hundredths of a second slower than Lando Norris over his fastest lap. However, he lost a small amount of time to the McLaren driver between turns 14 and 15 after suffering an apparent loss of power exiting the fast triple right hand sequence of turns 12, 13 and 14.

“I felt really strong all session,” Russell told the official F1 channel. “The car was really great. This circuit is really one of the best, when you get in the groove and that rhythm – it’s so fast.

“I went flat through the high speed [section] for the first time on my final lap in SQ3 and confused the engine a little bit. I don’t know how much I lost, but I had a big recharge on the exit of the corner because I went through it flat.

“It was a bit annoying when I’d just nailed it and then I lost a load of speed on the exit. But I think Lando was just a smidge out of reach.”

McLaren and Ferrari are involved in the only championship battle still alive entering the final two rounds. Despite being between both McLarens on the grid and ahead of both Ferraris, Russell says he is “definitely” looking to try and win Saturday’s sprint race.

“I think they’re in a championship fight. We’ve got nothing to lose. We’re going for the big result,” he said.

“We’ll try and make a good start. Of course the sprint is just a sprint. We need to put our focus on qualifying as well. But so far, so good.”

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