Russell Admits He’s Been Nowhere in Last Three Races After Strong Season Start

George Russell said he is “bamboozled” by a sudden downturn in form after qualifying well behind his team mate in Monaco.

While Andrea Kimi Antonelli claimed pole position, Russell was nearly four tenths slower in his Mercedes and will start sixth.

“I don’t really know,” Russell told Sky when asked why qualifying had gone so poorly. “If I knew I’d be able to not be in that position.”

He said the start of the year felt deceptively simple. “At the start of the year, it was just easy. Every lap I did in practice, qualifying, it was [first place], worst case [second], every single session: Q1, Q2, Q3.”

But the last three races have been different. “In the last three races, it’s just been nowhere. Even in Canada it was a real fight to get a decent lap and then I just nailed it at the end of both of those sessions. But that was sort of like pulling something special out of the hat and a little bit lucky to do it at the right time. But that’s just where I am right now.”

Russell suggested the explanation may lie in differing driving styles between himself and Antonelli.

“It was clear last year and it’s clear this year,” he said. “But obviously last year it suited me just fine and this year is suiting him perfectly well.

“So I need to adjust to this. I’ll do my best to do that, but it still doesn’t answer why the start of the year was such a breeze. I don’t know, I’m a bit bamboozled right now.”

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