The moment of triumph hung briefly in the balance for George Russell in claiming pole position for the Austrian Grand Prix, but with the British driver bullish and ebullient after what was a mighty lap under dramatic circumstances, for him at least, there was never any doubt.
At the very sharp end of the final moments of qualifying, Russell was hurtling round the track after Max Verstappen when the Dutchman was too hot into turn nine, lost the rear and scythed across the gravel into the wall. In front of them, Charles Leclerc and Lewis Hamilton had finished their laps as the single yellow flags were immediately waved.
Ferrari momentarily thought they had the front row, only for Russell to follow the rules to the letter and lift off under the yellows, but with almost half a second advantage at that point still had enough to slow and then barrel over the line for pole. He had two-tenths in hand over Leclerc and Hamilton who were second and third.
Pole was in doubt because the decisive moments had all happened so fast, the accident, the flags, the end of the lap all over in scant seconds. Were the flags single yellow – denoting drivers should back off – or double yellow – instruction to immediately abort the lap? The stewards noted Russell’s actions, but took no further action. He had called it correctly under what were, at that moment, single yellow flags.
The Mercedes team principal, Toto Wolff, confirmed Russell had made a 100m lift through the yellow flags, which cost him a tenth and a half. A clinically executed piece of decision-making under immense pressure, in a split second. As he exited the corner with the flags at that point green, he poured it on again and the pole was his.
It was in no little contrast to his teammate, Kimi Antonelli, who leads the world championship by 41 points from Hamilton and is 50 ahead of Russell. Antonelli said he had made a mistake, aborting his lap because he believed he had seen double yellow flags being waved and finishing in fourth.
Russell’s clear pleasure in a superb lap, with some exceptionally quick, striking judgment, was palpable. Antonelli was close to his teammate on his hot run and might have pushed him to the end but on the evidence of Russell’s pace he would still have had the edge in what was perhaps his best single lap of the year. There was a sense he had made a point over his teenage teammate, when asked if he had the confidence he could beat the Italian, who has won five of the seven races this season.
“Yeah, 100%, I just need to get that click,” he said. “As I found again today, as I had in Barcelona, as I had in Canada, as I had in Melbourne, as I showed in China, and then the results will come at some point. It can’t continuously be bad luck over the course of the season.”
Despite Hamilton and Ferrari winning the last round in Spain, where they looked to at least be a match for the Mercedes on pace, the silver arrows once more had the advantage here. It was the perfect comeback for Russell, who had suffered a problem with his front wing at Barcelona that stymied the last part of his race and who needs to close down Antonelli.
He was as confident and assured as when at his best to deliver his fourth GP pole this season, which ensures Mercedes are still unbeaten over the single lap. The key test remains, however, not least the fast-starting Ferraris around him and Antonelli likely, as he has in recent races, to take the fight to Russell with no little verve and determination.
Verstappen’s time set before his crash means he will start in fifth with the McLarens of Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri, who also eased off in their final runs, in sixth and seventh.
