Mercedes driver George Russell pips Carlos Sainz to take pole in Las Vegas Grand Prix

Las Vegas: Mercedes driver George Russell delivered a stunning performance to claim pole position for the Las Vegas Grand Prix, narrowly beating Ferrari’s Carlos Sainz by just 0.098 seconds. The result marked Russell’s first pole since the British Grand Prix in July and Mercedes’ best showing in months.  Mercedes looked strong throughout the weekend, with Lewis Hamilton dominating the early practice sessions and Russell topping the charts on Saturday morning. However, it was Russell who emerged as the star in qualifying.

The Briton's session was far from smooth. Early in Q3, he clipped the wall, damaging his front wing and forcing a quick repair in the garage. But instead of faltering, Russell regrouped, insisting on going out last in the final shootout to take full advantage of the improving track conditions.

His decisive lap of 1:32.312 edged out Sainz's 1:32:410, who had held the provisional pole for much of the session.

Speaking after qualifying, Russell expressed his elation: “It’s an incredible feeling to be on pole here in Vegas. The team has worked tirelessly, and after hitting the wall, I knew I had to stay calm and deliver when it counted. Thankfully, everything came together in the end.”

The top three saw an unexpected contender in Alpine’s Pierre Gasly 1:32:664, who secured a remarkable third place. Gasly’s performance shocked the paddock, as Alpine had not been tipped to challenge the front-runners this weekend. IANS

Also Read: West Indies opener Mikyle Louis hopes Windies to post 400 plus total in first innings

Also Watch: