George Russell: Attacking in Qatar is great.

George Russell: Attacking in Qatar is great.

      George Russell was very quick on Friday, finishing just three hundredths of a second off the pole time…

      George Russell (2nd): "In practice I was only 14th. Lately qualifying hasn't gone very well for me, but now I'm happy. Attacking in Qatar is great, the track is very fast. At the briefing we talked about why the DRS zone wasn't extended, and I hope that after the sprint it might be possible to adjust it."

      Kimi Antonelli (7th): "For me the session was a bit chaotic. The tricky moment in the second session affected my confidence, but the main problem was that I couldn't get optimal grip. The potential was there, but I also had the feeling that I was always a step behind. We need to analyze everything and figure out how to get more on Saturday."

Other articles

Carlos Sainz: A very positive day! Carlos Sainz: A very positive day! Both Williams drivers reached the sprint qualifying final in Qatar; Carlos Sainz once again finished ahead of Alex Albon… Belgian GP director criticized for trip to Qatar. Belgian GP director criticized for trip to Qatar. Formula 1 | A new controversy in Belgian politics has unexpectedly brought the future of the grand prix at Spa-Francorchamps back into the spotlight. (…) Qatar Grand Prix: Piastri starts from pole in the sprint Qatar Grand Prix: Piastri starts from pole in the sprint Oscar Piastri won the sprint qualifying in Qatar... Alonso: We'll move forward step by step Alonso: We'll move forward step by step In sprint qualifying, Fernando Alonso reached the final, while Lance Stroll was eliminated already in the first session… "That truly took me by surprise." Dr. Helmut Marko has cast doubt on the unexpected decision to appoint Adrian Newey as Aston Martin's next team principal, while Fernando Alonso asserts that the renowned designer had already been acting as a de-facto leader behind the scenes. In an interview with Kleine Zeitung, Marko, a close former colleague of Newey at Red Bull, expressed his astonishment. "That truly took me by surprise," he remarked. "We'll have to see how that unfolds in practice." Marko cautioned that the new position entails greater involvement in race weekend operations and management—an area he believes is not Newey's strongest attribute. "That is certainly not his strength," he stated. "His major strengths lie in design, car setup, and the quality of production and development. It has greatly surprised me that he will now be transitioning more toward team management." In contrast, Alonso staunchly supported the decision, claiming that Newey had already been functioning as a leader. Speaking to AS newspaper in Qatar, he said, "He was already at the forefront of the technical development of the car and the team, pinpointing the necessary personnel and areas needing improvement. Internally, he was conducting a lot of management, while Andy was managing engine integration with the chassis." The Spaniard emphasized the importance of Newey's leadership given the team's rapid evolution. "This team is still quite young," he remarked. "We need guidance from leaders like Adrian. We have the two most successful figures in the history of the sport—Adrian Newey and Andy Cowell." According to Alonso, the new title merely formalizes what had already been occurring. "He was somewhat of a behind-the-scenes leader," he noted. "He would have been in charge of everything even without the official 'team principal' designation. With Cowell concentrating more on the engine, fuel, and Honda, everyone is effectively in their role." Alonso did express hope that Newey would still have adequate time to focus on his evident strength—design. "The role of team principal is different these days—media, sponsors, commitments," he said. "I hope Adrian won’t have to take on all those responsibilities and can focus on the crucial aspects." Christian Horner had been considered for the position before Newey's appointment, with reports suggesting that Newey even took his former Red Bull boss on a tour of the Silverstone factory last week. Ultimately, Lawrence Stroll did not extend an offer to him. "I don’t think we need any additional people in leadership," Alonso concluded. "But that’s not my responsibility." "That truly took me by surprise." Dr. Helmut Marko has cast doubt on the unexpected decision to appoint Adrian Newey as Aston Martin's next team principal, while Fernando Alonso asserts that the renowned designer had already been acting as a de-facto leader behind the scenes. In an interview with Kleine Zeitung, Marko, a close former colleague of Newey at Red Bull, expressed his astonishment. "That truly took me by surprise," he remarked. "We'll have to see how that unfolds in practice." Marko cautioned that the new position entails greater involvement in race weekend operations and management—an area he believes is not Newey's strongest attribute. "That is certainly not his strength," he stated. "His major strengths lie in design, car setup, and the quality of production and development. It has greatly surprised me that he will now be transitioning more toward team management." In contrast, Alonso staunchly supported the decision, claiming that Newey had already been functioning as a leader. Speaking to AS newspaper in Qatar, he said, "He was already at the forefront of the technical development of the car and the team, pinpointing the necessary personnel and areas needing improvement. Internally, he was conducting a lot of management, while Andy was managing engine integration with the chassis." The Spaniard emphasized the importance of Newey's leadership given the team's rapid evolution. "This team is still quite young," he remarked. "We need guidance from leaders like Adrian. We have the two most successful figures in the history of the sport—Adrian Newey and Andy Cowell." According to Alonso, the new title merely formalizes what had already been occurring. "He was somewhat of a behind-the-scenes leader," he noted. "He would have been in charge of everything even without the official 'team principal' designation. With Cowell concentrating more on the engine, fuel, and Honda, everyone is effectively in their role." Alonso did express hope that Newey would still have adequate time to focus on his evident strength—design. "The role of team principal is different these days—media, sponsors, commitments," he said. "I hope Adrian won’t have to take on all those responsibilities and can focus on the crucial aspects." Christian Horner had been considered for the position before Newey's appointment, with reports suggesting that Newey even took his former Red Bull boss on a tour of the Silverstone factory last week. Ultimately, Lawrence Stroll did not extend an offer to him. "I don’t think we need any additional people in leadership," Alonso concluded. "But that’s not my responsibility." Formula 1 | Isack Hadjar states that he has no delusions about what lies ahead if, as anticipated, he is elevated to Red Bull to partner with Max Verstappen for (…) Leclerc: There was potential to qualify in the top five. Leclerc: There was potential to qualify in the top five. Charles Leclerc reached the final of sprint qualifying in Qatar, where he posted the ninth-best time. For his Ferrari teammate, Lewis Hamilton, the session again went badly — the seven-time world champion was eliminated in the first session after posting the eighteenth-best time.

George Russell: Attacking in Qatar is great.

George Russell was very quick on Friday, just three hundredths of a second off the pole time…