Azerbaijan Grand Prix: George Russell MAULS Mercedes after dismal qualifying

George Russell

Russell MAULS Mercedes after dismal Azerbaijan Grand Prix qualifying

The Brit failed to make Q3 for the first time this season and was left disappointed with his team

Joe Ellis

Friday 28 April 2023 21:50 Updated: 23:12

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George Russell was left to rue a crucial mistake as he missed out on Q3 at the Azerbaijan Grand Prix but insisted Mercedes weren't quick enough to be competitive.

The Englishman was on a lap which could have seen him sneak into the top-10 shootout at the expense of his team-mate and compatriot Lewis Hamilton, but he made an error at the last corner which prevented him from being able to improve his time.

Russell eventually missed out on the final session by just four-thousandths of a second and will start the Azerbaijan GP from 11th on the grid.

After the session he was clear in his belief that the car was mainly to blame for his struggles.

Russell: I gave it everything

"We're not fast enough this weekend, obviously, or I would have been in Q3," Russell told the media.

George Russell is looking to bounce back from his engine failure in the Australian GP

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"I was giving it everything, the lap was strong. I made a mistake at the last corner and it might have just crept me into Q3 but I don't think we'd have been any higher than P8.

"It's a funny sport this one, you can go from qualifying on the front row in Australia to myself being out in Q2 and Lewis just getting through in P10."