Russell says Brazil pole lap was lost to Albon traffic

George Russell was set to miss out on pole position at the Brazilian Grand Prix regardless, having already accepted a five-place grid penalty. Mercedes told him to abandon a lap during the wet, delayed qualifying session, which Russell believed would have been quickest.

His race engineer Marcus Dudley advised him to back off after Russell caught Alex Albon's Williams, and Russell had complained about Albon being in his way. Russell had already posted three slower mini-sectors in a row, and the traffic threatened to compromise the lap through the final sectors.

Mercedes team boss Toto Wolff said the team should perhaps have continued, though he acknowledged that hindsight makes such decisions easier. The episode left Russell frustrated over a rare moment of superiority in a season that has otherwise disappointed him.