Impact Russell had high expectations entering the weekend and looked to have the potential to compete with the McLarens and Max Verstappen. Given the difficulty of passing at Suzuka, qualifying was particularly important this weekend and Russell was left disappointed with his performance. He tried to keep his tires cool on his final push lap to save grip for the final sector, but he struggled to find pace in Sector 1 as a result. That left Russell to start fifth on the grid, the place he also finished. Despite the disappointment, he has driven consistently to begin the season and should remain in podium contention at Bahrain.
APRIL 6, 2025 • ROTOWIRE
