George Russell will face a “disadvantage” entering the Japanese Grand Prix, according to Mercedes boss Toto Wolff.
Wolff conceded that the Briton will have to carry the issue he experienced in Qualifying forwards to race day.
Russell’s Qualifying Struggles
Qualifying at the Suzuka Circuit proved challenging for Russell, who couldn’t match his team mate’s pace.
Russell ended Qualifying in second place with a deficit of nearly three-tenths to Kimi Antonelli.
Russell suggested that a “small adjustment” made to the rear suspension on his car had transformed it “for the worse”.
Wolff Explains the Set-Up Change
Wolff pointed to a set-up change as the likely cause for Russell’s struggles in the session when questioned 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.”
Wolff clarified that the issue could not be changed for race day and that Russell would “need to carry this into the race now, which is certainly a disadvantage”.
Antonelli’s Performance
Kimi Antonelli surged to pole position during Saturday’s session at the Suzuka Circuit.
It marked his second consecutive P1 slot after claiming his first-ever pole last time out in China.
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.”
Russell is set to carry the disadvantage into the race.