Russell becomes a spoilsport: first career pole

Created: 07/30/2022Updated: 07/30/2022 17:36

Brit George Russell will start the Formula 1 race in Hungary from pole position.

© Darko Bandic/AP/dpa

George Russell sensationally manages to take first place on the grid in Hungary.

In the Mercedes, the Brit duped the competition before the Formula 1 race in Budapest out of nowhere.

Budapest - After the first pole position of his Formula 1 career, George Russell didn't know what to do with his emotions.

"It's an incredible feeling.

We have to see where that came from,” said the 24-year-old Mercedes driver, almost in disbelief.

As if out of nowhere, the Briton in his Silver Arrow duped the competition on Saturday in Hungary and pushed the two Ferrari drivers Carlos Sainz and Charles Leclerc into second and third place.

Due to technical problems, world champion Max Verstappen had no chance and only finished tenth in the Grand Prix on Sunday (3 p.m. / Sky) in Budapest.

Russell grabs pole at the last second

"It was a pretty special day, no doubt about it," Russell said.

Mercedes didn't make a good impression in Hungary before qualifying, Russell Sainz only snatched first place on the grid at the last second.

"That last lap was awesome," said Russell.

Overtaking is traditionally difficult on the circuit in Hungary, and a place at the front is a very good starting position.

“There are no points for qualifying.

We will give everything in the race,” said the teammate of record world champion Lewis Hamilton.

Completely served, Verstappen trudged out of the Red Bull garage shortly before.

Everyone had expected a tough battle between the defending champions from the Netherlands and Ferrari, but the 24-year-old was unable to launch an attack.

"I have no performance.

Nothing works,” Verstappen radioed to his team shortly before the end.

The problem could not be solved, so the world championship leader goes into the last Grand Prix before the three-week summer break with a large handicap.

Before the 13th of 22 rounds of the season, Verstappen leads Leclerc in the overall standings with 63 points.

Vettel only finished 18th on a wet track

Mick Schumacher steered his Haas racing car to position 15 in the time hunt.

It was even worse for Sebastian Vettel, who only managed 18th place in the Aston Martin.

The qualifying conditions were completely different from the day before.

The enormous summer heat with temperatures of up to 34 degrees on Friday had disappeared, instead it was almost 15 degrees cooler.

Shortly before the last practice session, it was still raining heavily at midday, the water was still partly on the track and the pilots slowly had to get used to the new conditions.

It got much drier in qualifying, the big problem was getting the tires up to the required temperature.

In the race on Sunday it should be a little warmer and dry again.

Vettel had a bad day two days after announcing his retirement.

The former world champion was eliminated in the first round.

Shortly before, Vettel, who is retiring at the end of the season, made a driving mistake in the last practice session and slid off the track into the gravel bed.

He lightly touched the tire stacks.

"Fuck!

Sorry!” the Hessian radioed to his team.

His car had to be recovered with a crane.

The mechanics managed to get the car running again just in time for qualifying.

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It was only a little better for Schumacher.

"We knew it was going to be difficult," said the 23-year-old.

His team had hoped for rain, but that never came.

"I'm not entirely satisfied with today.

A lot can happen here, especially at the start,” said Schumacher.

In the previous season, he had achieved his best result of the season in twelfth place in Hungary.

dpa