George Russell admitted he “struggles” at the Miami International Circuit after once again being out-qualified by his team mate ahead of today’s grand prix.
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Andrea Kimi Antonelli claimed pole position while Russell was nearly four tenths slower and will start four places behind his team mate.
“I’ve been lacking all weekend, I don’t have a good feeling around this circuit,” Russell told Viaplay. “It’s been the case every year I come here, so that’s about it really.”
“It was the same last year,” he added. “He was on pole and I was P5 [for the sprint race], and he’s pole today and I’m P5.”
Antonelli was one of only three occasions last year to out-qualify Russell for a grand prix; the other instances were in Baku and Interlagos.
This marks the third consecutive event where Antonelli has been the leading Mercedes driver on the grid. Russell believes the gap this weekend comes down to the Miami circuit’s specific characteristics. “Clearly it’s a circuit I struggle at and it’s clearly a circuit that he excels on,” he said.
“We have different driving styles. He likes it when the grip levels are low and the cars are sliding around. I prefer high-grip conditions, the Montreal style, [Jeddah], where there’s a lot more grip from the cars and you go around the corners much faster — that’s where I have my confidence.
“So, as I said, it’s just one of those weekends. It’s a long season and I just want to get through this weekend.”
Russell finished behind his team mate on track in yesterday’s sprint race but was promoted ahead after Antonelli received a five-second penalty for repeatedly exceeding track limits. That adjustment cut Antonelli’s championship lead to seven points heading into today’s grand prix.
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