Russell "almost missed the flag" despite strong Imola qualifying run

Despite his teammate and hometown hero Antonelli not making it through to Q3 and ending in P13, Russell extracted the maximum from his Mercedes. In a weekend where consistency proved key, his performance stood out as one of the most composed and competitive of the session.

The Britain expressed in the post race Formula 1 interview how he "we almost missed the flag, so I was in 1st gear starting my lap, I lost 1 tenths down the straight because I was so close to Sainz"

Russell will be hoping to maximise this position in the race tomorrow where it is difficult to overtake. Tire management and timing of pit stops will be crucial, and Russell will be fully aware that holding his track position could make all the difference at a circuit that punishes even the smallest of errors.