Toto Wolff has conceded that George Russell with face a “disadvantage” entering the Japanese Grand Prix, with the team boss admitting that his driver will have to carry the issue he experienced in Qualifying forwards to race day.
While Kimi Antonelli surged to pole position during Saturday’s session at the Suzuka Circuit – marking his second consecutive P1 slot after claiming his first-ever pole last time out in China – it proved to be a more challenging afternoon for Russell, who could not match the pace of his team mate.
The Briton ended Qualifying in second place but with a deficit of nearly three-tenths to Antonelli, the 28-year-old going on to suggest that a “small adjustment” made to the rear suspension on his car had transformed it “for the worse”.
Speaking to Sky Sports F1, Wolff also pointed to this as the likely cause for Russell’s struggles in the session when quizzed on what had happened.
“I think we did probably a set-up [change] on the other side, something we did that we expected to have less impact than it had,” Wolff explained.
“It put the car on the nose, so too much oversteer, and that made it very difficult for him.”
Pushed further on whether this had been to protect any tyres for the race, and if the issue was something that could be changed for race day, the Austrian responded: “No, it’s probably the opposite – I think he needs to carry this into the race now, which is certainly a disadvantage, but these things happen.”
Sharing his thoughts on Antonelli’s Qualifying, Wolff spoke positively about the 19-year-old’s attitude and approach.
“I think when you hear his radio communication, also in the intercom in the garage, he’s just calm, not putting himself too much under pressure, putting the one lap in that was very good – Bono [Pete Bonnington, Antonelli’s Race Engineer] told him to put a banker in,” said Wolff.
“And then he pushed it a little bit hard on the last one and it wasn’t so good, but it’s really pleasing to see.”
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