Russell wishes to not have affected the speed of the Formula 1 race in Bahrain.

George Russell, from Mercedes AMG F1, celebrated his third place in the qualifying closed park at the Bahrain Grand Prix. Despite being only two tenths behind his teammate Lewis Hamilton, Russell secured a surprising start on the second row. The team made configuration changes that led to improvements in qualifying pace, catching them off guard. The competition was extremely tight, with only two tenths separating second and eighth place. Russell hopes that the changes made for qualifying will not hinder the race pace. The lower temperatures in Bahrain this week did not necessarily benefit Mercedes, as historically they struggle in these conditions. However, Russell is confident in the car and excited for the race. He expects a fierce battle with the Ferraris and Sergio Perez for the second and third positions on the podium. Max Verstappen is currently leading the pack with an incredible performance.