Having qualified on pole position for the Azerbaijan Grand Prix, George Russell tipped Max Verstappen as his most immediate danger in the race – but joked about his Mercedes team-mate Kimi Antonelli's remarkable Monza comeback.
Such a scenario could be on the cards again since Antonelli hit the wall on his second flying lap in Q1, damaging his front suspension and steering as well as the front-left wheel and tyre. He tried to drive back to the pits but was instructed by race engineer Peter Bonnington to park the car.
Antonelli had already set a lap quick enough to progress to Q2 but was unable to take part in the session, so he was initially classified as 16th on the grid. Verstappen topped the third practice session on Friday lunchtime but was stymied in qualifying by a problem with his internal combustion engine, which in turn affected his electrical deployment. That consigned him to eighth in final qualifying.
"I feel Verstappen's going to be a threat and obviously we can't discount Kimi," said Russell.
"You know, he started 19th in Monza and now he's in 16th. So, yeah, he should be leading by a few laps earlier this time…"
McLaren's Oscar Piastri and Lando Norris were fastest in the first Q3 runs. But neither could find an answer to Russell's pace when he went faster on his final two runs – even though he used the same set of soft tyres throughout while they both put on new sets. Norris locked up and overshot Turn 3 on his final run, briefly bringing out a yellow flag, but Verstappen's lap was already scuppered by his power unit issues.
That left Ferrari's Charles Leclerc second, albeit a remarkable 0.837s off Russell. Verstappen's Red Bull team-mate Isack Hadjar, returning from injury, was fourth despite not appearing on Russell's radar.
"Looking back on yesterday's practice, I think Verstappen was the biggest threat," said Russell.
"But we really don't know. McLaren also threw out a big surprise at the beginning of Q3."
Russell currently lies 81 points behind his team-mate in the drivers' championship and urgently needs to reboot his season after recent disappointments – particularly in Monza, where Antonelli usurped his lead after starting 19th. Asked if this weekend represented an opportunity for him to hit the comeback trail, and if Antonelli was perhaps beginning to show signs of pressure, Russell sought to manage expectations.
"I can't recall many mistakes he's made this season," he said.
"When you look at every championship campaign, even for the winners, there are mistakes along the way.
"I still keep on believing and keep on fighting until it isn't possible anymore. But I don't feel any pressure. I feel excitement every time I jump in the car now purely because I feel more confident in myself.
"When that confidence starts to build, it's just like this upward cycle. And on the flip side, when you're on the back foot, you start losing that confidence and then you start pushing the limits more.
"And that's when mistakes happen. But he's been flawless this season. It's the first mistake he's made in a qualifying session this whole year."
