Wolff attributes Russell's Belgian GP qualifying issues to straight-line speed

Formula1.com1 min read • Latest: Jul 18, 2026, 5:21 PM

Last updated Jul 18, 2026

Wolff attributes Russell's Belgian GP qualifying issues to straight-line speed
Summary

Toto Wolff revealed that George Russell's qualifying deficit to Kimi Antonelli at the Belgian Grand Prix is partially due to a lack of straight-line speed. Russell qualified P4, about half a second behind Antonelli, who secured pole position. Wolff noted that this performance issue is not entirely Russell's fault, as they are still analyzing the car's power unit and setup. Despite his struggles in the last two weekends, Russell was promoted to P3 after Lando Norris received a 10-place grid penalty. Antonelli leads the Drivers' standings by 25 points ahead of Sunday's race.

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Key Details
  • Russell qualified P4, nearly half a second behind Antonelli.
  • Antonelli achieved his sixth pole position of the season.
  • Russell will start P3 due to Norris's grid penalty.
  • Wolff emphasized Russell's lack of straight-line speed isn't entirely his fault.
  • Antonelli holds a 25-point lead in the Drivers' standings.
What they're saying
"

Toto Wolff admits that some of George Russell's deficit to Mercedes team mate Kimi Antonelli in Qualifying for the Belgian Grand Prix is "not his fault".

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