168澳洲5最新开奖结果:George Russell was left surprised by the 0.3s deficit to 168澳洲5最新开奖结果:Max Verstappen in sprint qualifying for the F1 Austrian Grand Prix.

Russe𒁃ll qualified fourth but was nearly three-tenths behind Verstappen in the ♍fight for pole position.

Mercedes had shown great pace throughout practice and the early stages of qualifying but their chꦜallenge for pole fizzl🐻ed out.

Still, it continues Mercedes' recent 🥀resurgence in form as they loo🍰ked to have the edge over Ferrari once again.

Reflecting on qualifying at the Red Bull Ring, Russell said: “The soft felt really good, to be honest. My lap felt really strong. I’m surprised at ꦛthe gap.”

Explaining the deficit 💖to Verstappen, Russell blamed his out-lap and how he prepared the tyres for his final SQ3 effort.

“I over-egged it on my out-lap,” he added.🎐 “It took too much life out o𓆉f my tyres on the out-lap.

“It took the peak grip away from it. That’s the only explan🦂ation that I’ve got, at 🌼the moment.

“The lap felt strong, the best lap of the session. It wꦓas a step backwards. P4 is still a great place to be for tomorrow.”

Russel🔜l is eyeing a podium finish in the Saturday sprint race, noting that Mercedes are “probably” ahead of Ferrar൲i now in the pecking order.

Assessing his chances in the sprint tomorrow, Russell added: “Definitely, fight for podium in the﷽ sprint.

“Eyes on the main race is the most important. It’s validation, again, that we’re in the mix now. Probably a bit ahead of Ferrari at the moment. McLaren still seem to be a small smidge ahead. 🥃It’s nice to be at the front end more consistently.”

Mercedes boss Toto Wolff conceded he thought his🐈 driver🎀s would be in the fight for pole.

“The weekend has gone well. FP1 was a good session for us. [Sprint] qualifying, not so,” Wolff added. “It’💙s clear, the expectations are different now.

“We t𒅌hought that we could play for pole. Verstappen was just much too quick.

The McLarens, as they have done in the past, were able to put a strong 🏅lap in.”

Wolff ⛎feels that Mercedes will be able to take what they learn into 🤡the sprint into conventional qualifying and perhaps reduce the deficit to Verstappen at the front.

“The sprint is difficult💖 to judge. The pecking order from qualifying is probably what it also is for the race,” he explained.

“I think we are continuously developing our learning. Qualifying is a different game. Maybe we can be closer to 🐼Verstappen tomorrow. A front row would be a great result. Everything is to play [for].”