Russell "gutted" to miss out on Sakhir GP pole
George Russell felt "gutted" to narrowly miss out on his maiden Formula 1 pole position in qualifying for the Sakhir Grand Prix, finishing second behind Mercedes teammate Valtteri Bottas.
In his first qualifying appearance for Mercedes as Lewis Hamilton's stand-in, Russell managed to qualify second, finishing just 0.026 seconds off the pole time.
It marked Russell's first appearance in Q3, having only previously qualified as high as 11th at this year's Styrian Grand Prix.
Russell said the race weekend had been "incredibly intense" as he got up to speed in the Mercedes W11 car, admitting that it felt "really alien" in his first outings.
"It is a really different way of driving, to be honest," said Russell. "I'm trying to unlearn what I learned at Williams, and relearn how to drive this car fast.
"I tried a lot of things in FP3 and it didn't go well so, to be honest, I'd have been happy just to get through to Q3 after final practice.
"But no, I'm really pleased. We got it pretty much all together on the final lap. Obviously gutted to miss out on pole by 20 milliseconds, but if you told me last week I'll be qualifying P2 on the grid next week, I think I wouldn't believe you."
It marked the first intra-team qualifying defeat of Russell's career, who had previously always beaten Williams teammates Robert Kubica and Nicholas Latifi on Saturdays.
But Russell was pleased by how close he got to Bottas, whose qualifying form has been impressive this year against pole record holder Hamilton.
"Valtteri has pushed Lewis a huge amount in qualifying over the years, I think statistically there's only been a tenth between them," Russell said.
"We all know how great Lewis so, just to be right behind Valtteri, coming in last minute, two days of prep I'm pleased, so let's see what we can do tomorrow."
Russell was conscious of the challenges he faced in the race on Sunday, having not started from so high up the grid or fought for a race win since F2 in 2018.
"I've got nobody in front of me tomorrow, which I've not experienced for a long, long time," Russell said.
"It's going to be really tricky. Qualifying is what I feel most comfortable with as it's just balls out everything you've got.
"Tomorrow, you need a bit more control, a bit more finesse, and I'm just haven't had experience yet. I will give it my all and see what I can do."
Related video

Previous article
2020 F1 Sakhir Grand Prix qualifying results, full grid lineup
Next article
Bottas says Sakhir Grand Prix qualifying "not my best"

About this article
Series | Formula 1 |
Event | Sakhir GP |
Drivers | George Russell |
Author | Luke Smith |
Russell "gutted" to miss out on Sakhir GP pole
Trending
How Ferrari plans to recover from its 2020 F1 nightmare
The 2020 Formula 1 season was Ferrari's worst for 40 years as it slumped to sixth in the standings. A repeat performance will not be acceptable for the proud Italian team, which has adopted a notably pragmatic approach to forging its path back to the top
Why Aston Martin’s arrival is more than just new green livery
In the most eagerly anticipated Formula 1 team launch of the season, the rebranded Aston Martin squad’s changes go much further than the striking paint job. But rather than a restart, the team hopes to build on top of solid foundations.
The car Aston Martin begins its new F1 journey with
The team formerly known as Racing Point gambled successfully on a Mercedes look-alike in 2020 as it mounted a strong challenge for third in the constructors' race and won the Sakhir GP. Now clothed in British racing green, Aston Martin's first Formula 1 challenger since 1960 provides the clearest indicator yet of what to expect from the new-for-2021 regulations
The tricky driver conundrums facing Mercedes in F1 2021
Ahead of the new Formula 1 season, reigning world champions Mercedes will take on challenges both old and new. This also can be said for its driver conundrum which could become key to sustaining its ongoing success...
How Alpine's cure to 2021 F1 rules starts at the front
A new name, new faces and new colours pulls the rebranded Alpine Formula 1 team into a new era while carrying over core elements of its 2020 car. But under the surface there's more than meets the eye with the A521 which hints at how the team will tackle 2021...
Can Mercedes' W12 retain the team's crown?
Replacing Formula 1's fastest car was never going to be an easy feat for Mercedes. Amid the technical rule tweaks to peg back the W12 and its 2021 rivals, the new Mercedes challenger will remain the target to beat
The pointed note that starts Ferrari's Leclerc vs Sainz era
Ferrari is starting its post-Sebastian Vettel age by welcoming Carlos Sainz in alongside Charles Leclerc. But while Sainz has a tough challenge to match his new teammate, Ferrari is also sending a message that previous intra-team spats must end
The mantra Ocon must follow to challenge Alonso at Alpine
OPINION: It's been an uneasy ride for Esteban Ocon since his F1 comeback - and fresh challenges lie in wait as he's joined by double world champion Fernando Alonso in the newly rebranded Alpine team. STUART CODLING sets out a roadmap to success…