In a thrilling qualifying session at the 2023 Mexican Grand Prix, Formula 1 fans were treated to an unexpected series of events throughout the field; however, George Russell’s disappointing performance was a surprise considering the hope that the recent Mercedes update could ensure him a better starting position.
Things had looked good in practice for the Brit as he finished P4, with the Red Bulls and Albon only ahead of him.
Russell’s qualifying journey began with a decent start as he managed to secure a spot in the top 10. However, as the session progressed, it became evident that there was more to the story. His troubles started when he, along with several other drivers, faced a post-qualifying investigation for allegedly impeding drivers at the pitlane start.
As the segments unfolded, Russell’s challenges continued. He found himself in a situation where the team wasn’t sure what the best preparation was for a flying lap in regards to the tyres, leading to a disappointing performance in the latter part of the session.
This pushed him down the grid, and he ultimately qualified in eighth position.
After the session, Russell expressed his frustration with his performance, highlighting how the Mercedes was struggling with its tyres.
“It’s really frustrating when it comes down to the tyres because, at the end of the day, that’s the only thing that changes between each of these consecutive runs.
“We got it wrong; others got it right, so we need to understand that, but definitely, not a good place to start.”
Furthermore, Russell was spared a penalty in relation to the alleged impeding investigations along with Max Verstappen because the stewards concurred that backing up cars out of the pits at a slower pace is far less hazardous than doing it at a faster racecourse.
They did point out that, even though the pit exit occurrences were the least of two evils, something needs to be done to prevent a recurrence.
“They ask us not to stop in the pit lane, but if you don’t make your gap in the pit lane, you have to make it on track. And for me, it’s quite dangerous if you’re doing 10 km/h down the straight when cars are doing 330 on their push laps.”
