Wolff blames Verstappen for Russell missing Italian GP pole to Gasly
Quick summary
Mercedes boss Toto Wolff says Max Verstappen's driving prevented George Russell from taking pole position at the Italian GP, which instead went to Pierre Gasly.
Full article
Attributed to original sourceMercedes boss Toto Wolff has claimed that George Russell missed out on pole position for the Italian Grand Prix because he "got done over" by Max Verstappen during the closing stages of qualifying at Monza.
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What happened
Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff accused Max Verstappen of getting in the way of George Russell during qualifying at the Italian GP, forcing Russell to abandon his flying lap. As a result, Pierre Gasly secured pole position. Wolff was visibly frustrated and pointed to Verstappen's actions as the decisive factor in Russell missing out on a potential pole, highlighting the tight margins in qualifying and the knock-on impact on Mercedes' Sunday prospects.
Chance analysis
Qualifying decisions in Formula 1 are often decided by hundredths of a second, and Wolff's complaint underlines how track positioning in the final sector can decide a session. Russell losing pole to Gasly is a notable upset, and Mercedes will now start further back than they hoped, reshaping their race-day strategy. The post-qualifying tension between Wolff and Verstappen adds another layer to an already heated championship fight.
George Russell starts the Italian GP from a lower grid position than his pace warranted, with Mercedes losing a pole opportunity to Gasly amid friction with Verstappen.