The British driver will thus get off the line in P4 after squeezing the maximum from his Mercedes W16 on Saturday evening's qualifying session.

"I think realistically I knew we weren't in the fight with the top three," Russell told GPblog after the session. "I was top of Q2 but those three drivers were on the used tyre so I overpushed in Q3.

"It wasn't a clean session, but the result was never going to be higher than P4," Russell added before stating that his radio comment suggesting Verstappen could give him a tow for the last Q3 run was all for Red Bull's ears, as the Dutch driver needs to win the race and for Norris to finish out of the podium places to clinch his fifth consecutive crown.

"Yeah, well it was more of a hint to Red Bull on their pit wall to sort of consider it," Russell continued. "Because obviously Max went early in Q3, run he was in a position to do that and they obviously need somebody in the mix."

And that somebody might just be Russell, given his P4 starting position. "I mean if we finish lap one in the order we start the race, then definitely [there will be opportunities]. He's [Verstappen] not just going to drive off into the distance and hand Lando an easy podium.

"But everything can change after lap one. If Lando makes a good start and gets the lead, the championship's done and dusted. So we're not at the pace, but I'm confident there'll be opportunities," Russell concluded.

Helmut Marko praised Red Bull’s development and Max Verstappen’s qualifying lap in Abu Dhabi, noting the team improved the car significantly after Friday’s understeer issues, and suggested Lando Norris, starting alongside Verstappen, tends to be nervous in that position. Read his full coments here.

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