Miami GP: George Russell says ‘easy’ driving type the explanation for deficit to Mercedes team-mate Kimi Antonelli

George Russell says his “smooth” driving type not being suited to the Miami Worldwide Autodrome has been the explanation for his vital deficit to his Mercedes team-mate Kimi Antonelli on the Florida occasion.

Antonelli, who leads Russell on the high of the Drivers’ Championship by seven factors, took an excellent pole place for Sunday’s Miami Grand Prix, beating his team-mate by nearly 4 tenths of a second because the Brit was left to accept fifth on the grid.

The outcome represented a continuation of the pair’s type all through the weekend, with the 19-year-old Italian having taken second in Dash Qualifying on Friday as Russell got here sixth.

Antonelli overcame a poor begin to end fourth on monitor within the Dash itself, 4 seconds away from Russell, however was demoted under his team-mate – and Purple Bull’s Max Verstappen – to sixth after receiving a five-second penalty for breaching monitor limits on 4 events.

“I just struggle on these low-grip circuits, so here [in Miami], Zandvoort, Brazil,” Russell advised Sky Sports activities F1 after qualifying.

“It was the identical final 12 months. It is one thing I wish to work on however there are three tracks out of the 24 which can be outliers, and Miami is certainly high of that record.

“I am fairly a easy, exact driver. That is all the time been my type. On these tracks it’s important to be proud of the automobile simply sliding.

“I like the car on the edge, but this is like you have a set of 200-lap old tyres on your car and you go around and it’s just sliding, oversteer and understeer. That’s the same for everyone.

“It is so scorching, the tyre pressures are excessive, the grip is absolutely low, so it does not really feel that nice, whereas tracks like Saudi the grip is tremendous excessive.”

After Russell gained the season-opening Australian Grand Prix from pole, Antonelli hit again with poles and victories in China and Japan to safe a nine-point championship lead earlier than the season paused for 5 weeks as races in Bahrain and Saudi Arabia had been cancelled.

A lot was made in the course of the break of the truth that Russell, a transparent pre-season favorite for the drivers’ title, was trailing his far much less skilled team-mate after three rounds.

Whereas Russell did truly cut back his deficit within the Miami Dash, that was solely right down to Antonelli making an unforced error, when he had a transparent tempo benefit over his team-mate.

Russell insisted that he is not going to be desirous about “damage limitation” in Sunday’s race, for which the beginning time has been moved three hours earlier to 6pm UK time amid the forecast of thunderstorms.

“I’m not thinking damage limitation,” Russell stated. “I’m just going out there to maximise the result.

“That was the identical within the Dash. Tomorrow is a special day with climate on the radar, and we noticed once more with the race begins, the whole lot can change within the first few hundred metres.”

‘George is going to be irritated’

Sky Sports F1’s Naomi Schiff said that Russell will be “irritated” at having finished behind Antonelli for a third successive qualifying session.

Reacting to Russell’s comments, Schiff said: “The worst factor you see is your team-mate making extra of a spot, going out each session and being faster than him.

“And no matter whether or not it is a driving type factor or not, if he results in a head-to-head battle along with his team-mate, he is acquired to be higher than him each time he goes on the market. It’d swing round once more, however clearly George goes to be irritated by that.

“George is a great driver and he’s not going to love the situation, but it also is a long season ahead. He’s got consistency on his side. He’s obviously not got the pace this weekend, but he’s always there, he’s always going to score the points.”

Sky Sports activities F1 pundit and former world champion Jenson Button added: “When you’re a precision driver, it’s really difficult when you find yourself sliding into a corner and you can’t pick out the apex as you want, or the exit.

“And it is also worse right here as a result of there are different groups which can be aggressive. He is acquired the McLarens in entrance, he is acquired the Ferraris and Max in a Purple Bull.”

Antonelli: I was happy with my lap

Having admitted to making too many mistakes during the Sprint, Antonelli said he was “completely satisfied” with the lap that secured him pole.

The essential effort was truly Antonelli’s first of two flying lap makes an attempt in Q3, the second of which was blown as made a mistake on the first nook.

Antonelli advised Sky Sports activities F1: “It hasn’t been easy this weekend – very hot, track very slippery, and also this track is not easy to put all the sectors together.

“I feel I used to be proud of my lap. Perhaps there was somewhat bit extra on the desk, however we do not know as a result of I did not even do one nook.

“I’m happy with the performance, especially this weekend where with the others bringing big upgrades, it has been a bit more difficult for us, but the team did a tremendous job.”

Sky Sports activities F1’s Miami GP schedule

Sunday Might 3
2.25pm: F2 Function Race
4pm: Miami GP build-up: Grand Prix Sunday
6pm: THE MIAMI GRAND PRIX*
8pm: Miami GP response: Chequered Flag*
9pm: Ted’s Pocket book*

*Additionally on Sky Sports activities Major Occasion

Components 1 is in Miami because the 2026 season resumes, watch stay on Sky Sports activities F1 with Sunday’s Grand Prix at 6pm. Stream Sky Sports activities with NOW – no contract, cancel anytime