SILVERSTONE, England — Excitement filled the air as George Russell narrowly edged out Lewis Hamilton to claim pole position for the British Grand Prix, with Lando Norris securing the third spot for McLaren on Saturday.
All eyes were on the Brits at Silverstone, as Formula 1 leader Max Verstappen settled for fourth place in the Red Bull.
“The crowd’s energy is incredible. Silverstone must be thrilled,” exclaimed Russell. “Having three Brits in the top three is amazing. We appreciate the support and can’t wait for the race tomorrow.”
Russell is in a prime position to chase his second consecutive F1 victory after winning the Austrian GP last weekend. Mercedes seems to be narrowing the speed gap with team principal Toto Wolff expressing his satisfaction with a 1-2 finish.
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“This is an incredible feeling. The car feels amazing right now. We’re just riding the wave and buzzing,” Russell shared his excitement.
Arriving at the track in an England soccer shirt ahead of the national team’s European Championship quarterfinal against Switzerland, Russell admitted to feeling immense pressure during the qualifying session.
Hamilton narrowly missed out on securing his record-extending 105th F1 pole by .171 seconds, with Norris following closely behind Russell by .211 seconds.
“Having three Brits in the top three is incredible,” said Hamilton, an eight-time winner at Silverstone. “This is significant for us (Mercedes). The car felt fantastic.”
Meanwhile, Sergio Perez’s struggles for Red Bull continued as he went off track during qualifying, leaving him starting from the 19th spot.
As the dark clouds loomed over the circuit, Verstappen expressed frustration over his performance but remained optimistic for the race day.
With Russell claiming pole position, Sunday’s race is anticipated to be a thrilling battle between the top drivers.
Norris, determined to challenge Russell and Hamilton, is confident in his ability to deliver a standout performance in the upcoming race.
