Russell: Mixed feelings after crucial error in judgement

Russell has started his 2025 Formula 1 season in great form, sitting in a comfortable fourth in the Drivers' Championship with three podiums in four Grands Prix.

He has also outqualified rookie teammate Andrea Kimi Antonelli in all four rounds completed so far, cementing his number one status at the Brackley-based Mercedes-AMG Petronas F1 Team.

The Briton made that 5-0 with his Qualifying performance at the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix, placing his W16 third on the starting grid with a lap time just over a tenth behind polesitter Max Verstappen. McLaren's Oscar Piastri claimed the other place on the front row.

Mercedes didn't initially appear to be in the hunt for pole position, but Russell believes that he could have set the fastest time on Saturday were it for one small difference in his out lap in Q3.

Speaking to Sky Sports F1 after Qualifying, Russell was upset with his result despite finishing in the top three. He said: "I’m a little bit mixed feelings, to be honest, because I went quite conservative on my out-lap with my tyres.

"Because it was my one and only lap and I had no banker on the board, I just felt that if I made a small mistake at Turn 1 or a lock up, I’d have been down in P10. And usually, your last lap in Q3, you’re fully, fully sending it," the 27-year-old stated.

Russell continued to explain: "I thought I needed to go a bit hotter with my tyres, just to ensure there’s no mistakes at Turn 1, and it cost me in the last sector. I lost a tenth and a half from myself on the last sector.

"The lap otherwise was great. It’s thrilling around here, and you’re so close to a mistake at any point. But P3 is probably more than we could have hoped for," added the Mercedes driver.

Russell concluded by congratulating Verstappen for a second pole position in three races: "On these high-speed circuits we probably don't quite have the pace of the McLarens and Max did an amazing job again, so congratulations to him."

However, Verstappen is worried that he won't have the race pace to keep those behind him at bay for the entire Grand Prix. Can Russell claim his first victory of the 2025 season around the streets of Saudi Arabia?