Mercedes struggles in Qatar: why Russell misses pole and Antonelli faces challenges
George Russell showed impressive consistency, while Kimi Antonelli struggled. Despite this, Mercedes still demonstrates a clear approach to setup construction. The team led on track by Andrew Shovlin managed to deliver a highly competitive version of the W16. Looking at the final Sprint Qualifying results, only 32 thousandths of a second separated Oscar Piastri’s McLaren MCL39 from George Russell’s car.
Russell delivers when it counts, Antonelli makes too many mistakes
Praise goes to the British driver, who often goes underestimated but consistently shows great composure and the ability to perform under pressure. Yesterday, the difference between him and his teammate was clear: Kimi, usually in strong form, faced more difficulties than he did at the Brazilian GP.
George Russell commented: “I’m very satisfied with how it went. I’m enjoying these final qualifying sessions, pushing the car to the limit and feeling it respond exactly how I want. This allowed us to maximize the package and achieve important results. Today was no different. P2 is excellent: being able to separate the McLarens was something we didn’t expect in Sprint Qualifying.”
Regarding the mini-race, he added: “Overtaking will be difficult in tomorrow’s Sprint, so the race could be decided by the first corner. Starting on the front row helps, and the goal is to secure good points, even if a win isn’t possible. The track is really fun, with high grip levels, so I’m looking forward to the rest of the weekend.”
Kimi Antonelli reflected: “Starting seventh in the Sprint isn’t ideal. It’s a tricky track, and I made some mistakes in SQ2. I was lucky to advance to SQ3 thanks to Hadjar’s deleted time. Those moments cost me confidence and affected my performance. Without that, I could have extracted more pace and qualified higher.”
He added: “The circuit offers plenty of grip, and the car balance was good throughout the session. It’s a shame I couldn’t maximize the W16’s potential. We’ll review all the data overnight, and I’ll analyze my driving to improve and fully exploit the car. There’s still a good chance to score valuable points in the Sprint before Sunday’s main qualifying later in the evening.”
Mercedes loses pole due to hot tyres, Kimi could have been higher
It wasn’t easy for the Brackley team: getting the car in the right window with all tyre compounds proved more complicated than expected. During FP1, pace on the Hard tyres was solid, and the long run looked convincing. But when switching to Softs with low fuel, grip nearly vanished, leaving P10 and P14.
Andrew Shovlin analyzed tyre behavior: managing the tyres became a tricky puzzle. While George Russell maximized grip in SQ3, Antonelli felt different sensations. He realized he could push harder, but lack of confidence forced him to be conservative. He could have done better, but will learn from the experience.
Comparing with McLaren remains challenging. George Russell held pole until the last corners of Sector 3. The W16 lacked top speed through the fast, high-load corners where Oscar Piastri’s MCL39 excelled. This was partly due to tyres—super ready in S1 but fading in S3—and partly due to slightly lower downforce compared to the car number 81. A shame for Mercedes.
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