Russell on Pole for the 2024 British Grand Prix
Max Verstappen's Run of Pole Positions Comes to an End
Mercedes' George Russell has ended Max Verstappen's run of pole positions with a fantastic lap in the drying conditions at Silverstone.
Russell, who was quickest in both FP1 and FP2, put in a stunning lap in Q3 to take pole position with a time of 1:27.403, over half a second quicker than teammate Lewis Hamilton, in a special one-off Mercedes livery to mark the team's 250th race in Formula 1.
Verstappen, who had taken pole position in the previous five races, could only manage third place, with Ferrari's Carlos Sainz taking fourth.
The qualifying session was delayed by a red flag after Aston Martin's Lance Stroll crashed at the high-speed Copse corner, with the Canadian driver taken to the medical center as a precaution.
The session resumed after a 10-minute delay, and Russell wasted no time in putting in the first truly competitive lap of Q3.
Verstappen, Hamilton and Sainz all took turns at the top of the timesheet, but it was Russell who ultimately prevailed with a superb lap that gives him a great chance of winning his first British Grand Prix on Sunday.
Bottas Disqualified
In a further twist, Valtteri Bottas, who had qualified third, was later disqualified after his car was unable to provide the required 10-liter sample of fuel for the FIA's post-qualifying checks.
This means that Russell's teammate, Lewis Hamilton, will now start third on the grid, with Sainz moving up to fourth and Verstappen remaining in third.
Russell's pole position is a great result for Mercedes, who have struggled for pace in recent races, and it will give the team a great chance of winning their first race of the 2024 season on home soil.
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