Mercedes star George Russell (2nd): “I’ve found my rhythm again”

For George Russell, the race weekend at Zandvoort had got off to the best possible start: The Mercedes star, who had endured a few difficult World Championship rounds before the summer break, managed to secure pole position in the sprint qualifying, which he used the following day to clinch victory in the 24-lap race.

Next up was the Grand Prix qualifying session, and Russell made it through to Q3 with ease, where the top 10 grid positions for the twelfth Grand Prix of the year were up for grabs. In the end, he had to settle for second place, missing out on Lando Norris’s pole time by a narrow tenth of a second with his personal best of 1:11.265 minutes.

Afterwards, the seven-time Grand Prix winner said: “Lando did a brilliant job; congratulations to him and McLaren.” And he added: “It was a strong session. I thought we had what it takes to fight for pole, but I’m also quite happy with second place, having had a few difficult races in a row before the summer break.”

“I was able to find my rhythm again and I’ll try to battle against him in the race tomorrow,” Russell continued. He didn’t deny that his engagement to his long-term girlfriend, Carmen Montero Mundt, had given him a boost. Laughing, he brushed off the suggestion: “Yes, perhaps.”

On a slightly more serious note, the star driver added: “I feel good and, in a way, I’ve found myself again, which was very important. With these cooler temperatures, the track felt really fast, which made it even more fun for all of us to drive. Now I’m looking forward to the race.”

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