George Russell won the first prize of his Formula One career with victory in the Brazilian sprint race to claim pole position for today’s grand prix in an all-Mercedes front row with Lewis Hamilton.
The 24-year-old Englishman made the crucial pass on world champion Max Verstappen between turns three and four on lap 14 of 24 and then cantered away unchallenged.
Russell had put pressure on Verstappen during the preceding two laps but the Red Bull star refused to yield despite – curiously – being shod on the slower medium tyres. The rest of the field, bar the Williams of Nicholas Latifi, were on soft tyres.
Verstappen, handicapped effectively, finished fourth and with his front wing damaged after a brush with Ferrari’s Carlos Sainz.
Although Sainz finished second to Russell, 3.9sec back, the Spaniard faces an engine penalty that means Hamilton moves up a place on the grid, having driven well from eighth to third yesterday.
Kevin Magnussen, who started on pole after his fine lap in qualifying on Friday night was protected by the rain that subsequently fell, was gobbled up by Verstappen at the start of the third lap. The Dane finished eighth, taking one point.
Russell said: ‘It feels incredible. I wasn’t expecting to have so much pace but it shows what hard work the team have put in and what improvements we have made.
‘It’s difficult to know how Max would have got on if he had been on soft tyres. I had a tussle with him for a while but, with it being a sprint and your finish determining where you start on Sunday, you have to manage risk against reward.
'With just a point at stake, I couldn’t take too many chances even though I wanted to make the moves stick.
Hamilton, who won here from 10th on the grid a year ago, said: ‘Mega job guys. Well done to George.’ He then went over straight away to hug his junior partner as he celebrated with his team.
This is now officially a home race for Hamilton after he took honorary citizenship of Brazil last week. ‘Winning for Brazil tomorrow would be incredible,’ he said.
The afternoon’s lively action pressed the case for sprints instead of a soporific practice session. There will be six sprints next year, up from three this year. There should be more, even if the format may require a little refining.
