Qualifying in Jeddah was perhaps even more thrilling than the final standings suggest, with three teams fighting for pole all the way to the last corner. This time, that “final corner” is not just a narrative device to convey a tight battle, but should be taken literally.
At the front, Max Verstappen could celebrate pole, and Oscar Piastri smiled with a valuable front-row start that would allow him to fight for important points in the championship. On the other hand, someone left qualifying with a bitter taste, aware that more was possible.
George Russell, in fact, lost a pole that was within reach precisely… at the final corner. And when the battle is decided by hundredths, by the tiniest details, it’s natural for a bit of disappointment to emerge — something the British driver did not hide at the end of qualifying.
“To be honest, I would definitely have accepted a third place before the session,” Russell explained. Rationally, McLaren was expected to be in great form, with both drivers ready to occupy the front row; the fight for third would therefore be with Max Verstappen, on a track particularly suited to Red Bull’s characteristics.
“But when I saw how close I was… I’m happy with the lap, but you always think there was a bit more to extract. We know that on high-speed tracks we don’t have the pace of the McLarens, and obviously Max did another outstanding job,” the Mercedes driver added.
A key aspect mentioned by George Russell in interviews was Mercedes’ decision not to attempt two runs in the final minutes of Q3, unlike Max Verstappen, whose Red Bull had enough fuel loaded for two laps.
That choice mostly impacts the driver: knowing there’s only one shot adds pressure, since grid position is at stake with no safety net. Max Verstappen, on the other hand, had that option and emphasized the importance of the strategy suggested by his race engineer, Gianpiero Lambiase.
“I have mixed feelings because I feel there was still more to give. There’s a lot of pressure going into that final lap, especially since Oscar already had a time. I think Verstappen’s plan, with two attempts, was really good, and we didn’t really consider it.
Having a time takes some pressure off. When you get to Turn 1, you really have to push and brake at 75 meters. When you don’t have a time, you think: ‘I’ve got no margin for error — even the smallest mistake and I’m out.’ As a driver, knowing you only have one lap, especially on a track like this, forces you to go all-in,” Russell explained.
“I’m sure it was discussed on the pit wall, but I’m not aware of every single conversation, because at that moment I’m driving and trusting the team. But it’s something we’ll talk about afterward,” he added.
In fact, analyzing the data, it’s clear Russell lost time in Turn 1 compared to Verstappen, who was the most aggressive in that section. The gap also stemmed from the main straight, where the four-time world champion benefited from Yuki Tsunoda’s slipstream.
Looking at the data, in the high-speed corners of the first sector — as already seen in Suzuka — Mercedes can keep up with Red Bull, which typically excels in sections requiring strong aerodynamic stability.
Where the W15 makes a difference is in entry-speed corners, where carrying a lot of mid-corner speed is crucial — such as Turn 13 and the 16/17 chicane. There, Russell managed to gain about a tenth and a half on Verstappen. However, the dream of pole ended at the final corner, where the Brit couldn’t match either Max Verstappen or Oscar Piastri.
Although there’s no major difference in minimum cornering speed, the gap is mostly created at entry, where Max Verstappen is able to brake later, and at exit, where the Dutchman benefits from better acceleration heading to the finish line. Small differences, but ones that cost the Mercedes driver a real shot at pole.
Russell is left with the regret of knowing that pole — and even a front-row start — was just one corner away. Instead, he will line up third. A good starting point, no doubt, but one that makes dreams of glory more complicated without unexpected twists.
“Both Max and I know McLaren is clearly the favorite and definitely has more pace than everyone else. If Oscar Piastri takes the lead, we’ll probably see a repeat of Bahrain. If we stay in the order we qualified, I think the race will be close until the pit stops,” George Russell added.
Given the low degradation seen over the two days in Saudi Arabia, a one-stop race is a realistic expectation, with teams aiming to extend the first stint to avoid traffic and, more importantly, avoid being penalized by a potential Safety Car. At that point, strategy becomes key — especially considering a possible undercut.
“This year’s medium tire is last year’s soft, which only one driver used during the entire race. In Japan, we saw that the tires were too hard. We all pushed to have softer compounds. Hopefully that won’t make the one-stop strategy too predictable, and we might see a couple of different strategies on the table,” George Russell concluded.
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