George Russell surprised by Ferrari pace after poor sprint qualifying at Silverstone

Mercedes driver George Russell qualified fifth in the sprint qualifying session for the British Grand Prix at Silverstone, trailing his teammate Lewis Hamilton and teammate Kimi Antonelli. Russell said he was disappointed with the lack of relative lap‑time pace and noted that the car felt good on track but could not match the top times. He also expressed surprise at Ferrari’s speed, commenting that the team had been expected to be at a disadvantage in engine performance and energy management, yet they appeared the strongest on the circuit that day. Russell said the situation was “a bit strange” and that he would try to understand the reasons before the main race, which he described as the most important day. The remarks were reported in both French and Portuguese motorsport outlets, reflecting the same concerns about performance and the unexpected advantage shown by Ferrari.