George Russell reckons that tyre overheating was the main reason for his over half-second deficit to polesitter Lando Norris in Saturday’s Dutch Grand Prix qualifying session.
Despite being on the pace throughout Q1 and Q2, Russell struggled to maintain performance in Q3, ultimately qualifying fourth, 0.571s down on McLaren’s pace setter.
Meanwhile, his Mercedes teammate Lewis Hamilton was left stranded in Q2 in the session, a distant P12. Collectively, the Brackley squad’s performance at Zandvoort might see it challenged to carry forward its strong form in recent races.
"In Q2 my lap felt half-decent and I was the same pace as McLaren, so I went into Q3 thinking I had a shot at pole," Russell recounted. "And then the pace just didn't really come."
Russell felt that his car had more potential, but he attributed his modest improvement in Q3 to tyre issues. He pointed out that his tyres overheated during the final part of his last hot lap, which led to a significant loss of performance.
"I don't think any of it is in the car, to be honest," he explained. "It's all down to the tyres. I was on a really strong lap, I was matching Lando, I think I was two and a half tenths up on myself.
"The tyres overheated and I just lost more performance than I expected in the last half of the lap. So I'm not too concerned. I think P4 is a strong place to start and I think we'll be closer to it.”
Russell elaborated on the challenge of managing tyre temperatures during a hot lap, likening it to balancing on the edge of a cliff.
"You want to start the lap with your tyres as cold as possible, but if you go one degree below the limit, you'll probably lose half a second. If you're one degree over the limit, you lose tenths.
“So, you're kind of balancing this sweet spot, it's like you're edging closer to the edge of a cliff. You go one step too far and you're off. And that's the challenge for everyone."
Despite the setback, Russell remains optimistic about his chances in the race. Starting from the second row of the grid, he believes he can compete with the two McLarens and Red Bull's Max Verstappen, who will be starting ahead of him.
"I expect a good fight with McLarens," he said. "It's fair to say they've still been the quickest in the last couple of races.
“So realistically, we're maybe half a tenth or a tenth behind McLaren and Red Bull. But if you get the strategy right and make a good start, that can all change very quickly."
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