Fresh off his victory in Las Vegas, George Russell appeared to carry the momentum to Qatar. Russell had a strong session, ultimately breaking the potential for a McLaren front-row lockout, as he secured second place in Q3. This performance means he will line up alongside pole-sitter Lando Norris for the Sprint. Reflecting on his performance, Russell said:

“I felt really strong all session. The car was fantastic, and this circuit is incredible when you get into a rhythm. It’s so fast. On my final lap in Q3, I went flat-out through the high-speed section for the first time, which confused the engine a bit. I don’t know how much time I lost, but there was a big recharge on the corner exit because of it—way too technical to explain here!

“That was a bit frustrating because I nailed the lap, but then lost speed on the exit. Still, I think Lando was just slightly out of reach.”

When asked if he felt confident about challenging Norris in the Sprint, Russell replied: “Absolutely. They’re in a championship fight, and we’ve got nothing to lose. We’ll go all out for a big result and aim for a good start. The Sprint is just one part of the weekend, though; we also need to focus on qualifying. So far, so good.”

In contrast, Lewis Hamilton expressed disappointment with his performance, calling it “the same as every other qualifying – not that great.” When asked about the challenges in Sprint Qualifying, Hamilton said: “I’m just slow. It’s the same story every weekend. The car felt decent, no issues, but there’s not much more to add.”

Regarding whether Friday’s long-run pace offered any optimism, Hamilton commented: “The long run wasn’t bad, but when you’re starting further back, it’s nearly impossible to fight for wins. That’s just how it is. I’ll do my best tomorrow in the Sprint.”

Hamilton then added that there weren’t particularly many positives for him, aside from the fact that the car is quick and George has a good shot at pole tomorrow. When asked about the root of his qualifying struggles, despite the car’s apparent speed, Hamilton said: “Who knows. I’m just not fast anymore.”