George Russell believes hidden damage to his Mercedes could explain his underwhelming seventh place in qualifying for the Belgian Grand Prix sprint race.
The British driver, who has been a consistent frontrunner this season, struggled with pace during the rain-hit session at Spa-Francorchamps. He suspects an issue with the car’s floor, possibly from an early off-track moment in SQ1, hampered his efforts.
“We felt competitive going in, but something didn’t add up after that first run,” Russell said post-session. “The data shows we lost downforce, and in these tricky conditions, that makes a big difference.”
His rookie teammate Kimi Antonelli fared better, securing fourth on the grid in a strong showing for the young Italian. Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff echoed Russell’s concerns, noting the squad would inspect the car overnight ahead of Saturday’s sprint.
Despite the setback, Russell remains optimistic for the main race on Sunday, where dry weather is forecast. “We’ve got the speed; it’s about piecing it together,” he added.
This comes amid a tight 2025 championship battle, with Russell sitting third in the standings behind Max Verstappen and Lando Norris.
