Russell explains Brazil GP qualifying radio row with Mercedes

George Russell has explained the "miscommunication" that led to his angry team radio messages during qualifying for the Sao Paulo Grand Prix. The Briton finished second fastest in a delayed, rain-affected session at Interlagos, behind McLaren's Lando Norris for pole position.

Russell said he had been told to back off from a strong final lap after catching Alex Albon's Williams, and that the team had expected time for another lap before the rain arrived. He said the decision was wrong and that it was frustrating, but stressed it was not his engineer's fault, as the message had come through a wider group of people.

Russell will start the race from seventh, having been handed a five-place grid penalty for an engine change. He said the team needed to understand why the call was made and whether its systems had provided the right information.