Here's why George Russell feels confident after practice in Imola
21:15, 17 May 2024
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I am a passionate and knowledgeable Formula 1 fan who has watched the sport since age five, watching every single race. Having karted competitively throughout my teens, I understand what it takes to be a racing driver, and every aspect of motorsports fascinates me. I am now studying sports journalism at the University of Gloucestershire with the hopes of one day landing a dream role in motorsport. As well as English, I speak Spanish fluently after living there for some time when I was younger.
Mercedes arrived in Imola with new parts, and the Silver Arrows seems to have taken a step forward with the W15. Of course, it is still 'only' Friday and Mercedes has shown many times this season that a good Friday does not guarantee a good qualifying and race. Nevertheless, George Russell is optimistic after the first two free practice sessions.
"Today, I think Lewis and I both have a really good feeling behind the wheel, which was really nice," Russell told Sky Sports after FP2. "We looked reasonably competitive, slightly closer than we showed in Miami. I'm sure everybody will find out come qualifying where we will truly stand. I think McLaren still probably looks the favourites at the moment, and probably the quickest. Again, they've been so fast since China." Interestingly, Russell does not mention Red Bull, although Max Verstappen and Sergio Perez were both behind Mercedes in FP2.
Speaking about the updates, the 26-year-old Briton said "We seem to have done a great job to bring these new parts of the car, and it's a step forward," said Russell, who will be hoping Mercedes can continue to perform on Saturday.
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Austrian Grand Prix
Overview
Friday 26.06.26
Practice 1
11:30 AM
Practice 2
03:00 PM
Saturday 27.06.26
Practice 3
10:30 AM
Qualification
02:00 PM
Sunday 28.06.26
Race
01:00 PM
Friday 26.06.26
Practice 1
Fri 11:30 AM
Practice 2
Fri 03:00 PM
Saturday 27.06.26
Practice 3
Sat 10:30 AM
Qualification
Sat 02:00 PM
Sunday 28.06.26
Race
Sun 01:00 PM
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F1-stand 2026
Season
| Pos. | Driver | Team | Points |
|---|---|---|---|
1 | MercedesMER | 156 | |
2 | FerrariFER | 115 | |
3 | MercedesMER | 106 | |
4 | FerrariFER | 75 | |
5 | McLarenMCL | 73 | |
6 | McLarenMCL | 70 | |
7 | Red Bull RacingRBR | 55 | |
8 | Red Bull RacingRBR | 37 | |
9 | AlpineALP | 32 | |
10 | Racing BullsRCB | 28 |
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