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Russell Rages After Aborted Lap in Fight for Pole
Russell said Mercedes’ call to back off cost him a chance at pole, and he will start seventh because of a five-place engine penalty.
- George Russell will start Sunday's Sao Paulo Grand Prix seventh after a five-place grid penalty, having qualified second on Saturday following Mercedes' decision to fit his sixth internal-combustion engine of the 2026 season.
- Mercedes opted to take the penalty at Interlagos because overtaking is historically easier there than other remaining venues, a deliberate choice to mitigate reliability struggles that forced repeated component changes throughout 2026.
- Tensions flared during Saturday qualifying when Mercedes instructed Russell to abort his final lap citing traffic behind Alex Albon and intensifying rain; Russell called the decision a 'miscommunication,' believing he was on pace for pole position.
- Team principal Toto Wolff defended the instruction as a '50-50 call,' while Russell stated, 'We collectively made a misjudgment today,' emphasizing the need to maintain team morale despite the disappointment.
- Mercedes leads Ferrari by 126 points and will secure the constructors' championship if it outscores its rival by three points in Brazil, where Russell aims to leverage Interlagos' overtaking opportunities on Sunday.
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Channel News AsiaReposted by 
PressNewsAgency
PressNewsAgencyRussell rages after aborted lap in fight for pole
SAO PAULO, Nov 7 : George Russell raged over the radio after the Mercedes driver was thwarted in a bid for a morale-boosting fastest lap in Sao Paulo Grand Prix qualifying on Saturday.Russell carried a five-place grid penalty for an engine change but the Briton still wanted to finish the session on top.
·Singapore, Singapore
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The IndependentReposted by 
The Independent (US)
The Independent (US)George Russell vents fury at Mercedes after missing out on pole in Sao Paulo
Russell was told by his team to back off on his final flying lap at Interlagos.
·London, United Kingdom
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Lewis Hamilton, who is preparing for his 400th F1 race, may face a grid penalty in Brazil, but at least he has settled his differences with Charles Leclerc.
·Budapest, Hungary
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Coverage Details
Total News Sources54
Leaning Left3Leaning Right3Center7Last UpdatedBias Distribution54% Center
Bias Distribution
- 54% of the sources are Center
54% Center
L 23%
C 54%
R 23%
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