Mercedes team boss Toto Wolff is overjoyed after his driver George Russell secured pole position. The British driver outpaced his competitors in Canada, thanks to what his team boss described as a ‘mega lap’. Russell will start the race in the front row alongside Max Verstappen, and the Austrian is also looking forward to the duel between the two.
Although George Russell’s fast lap came as a surprise, the strong pace of the W16 on Saturday in Canada was less unexpected. The car had already shown strength on Friday, and Russell was able to clock the fastest time during the second free practice. The Mercedes thrives in cooler conditions, but it was a pleasant surprise for Toto Wolff that the car also performed well during the warmer qualifying session.
“It was good, it was also encouraging because the track was hot,” the team boss explains after the qualifying. “We were so competitive in the free practices that we were almost surprised at the beginning of the qualifying that it wasn’t too easy. But in the end, the times kept getting faster. It was really a mega lap from George.” Wolff was particularly impressed that Russell was able to drive the fast lap, despite increasing pressure from Max Verstappen, the McLarens, and the Ferraris.
Battle Between Verstappen and Russell
Russell will ultimately start the race from the first row, alongside Verstappen. “Everyone is looking forward to the battle between Russell and Verstappen. They won’t want to give an inch. It’s going to be exciting between them!” The two drivers also encountered each other on the track in Spain during the final phase. The fight for fourth place and the subsequent collision resulted in a ten-place grid penalty and two penalty points for the Dutchman.
As a result, Verstappen now has a total of eleven penalty points, just one point away from a suspension. However, Russell does not believe that this will change the Dutchman’s racing style. “I don’t think any driver deliberately crashes into someone to earn penalty points,” the Brit said at the press conference. “Max is one of the best drivers, and there’s no reason for him to change his driving style. He’s not going to give me any more space. We all want to win, and you’re not going to do something that could jeopardize your race.”
