Mercedes were ‘definitely not’ in Sprint pole fight – Russell

Mercedes experienced a subdued start to the United States Grand Prix weekend, with George Russell qualifying P5 and Andrea Kimi Antonelli P11 in Sprint Qualifying. Russell, fresh off his Singapore victory, admitted pole position was out of reach, stating their battle was firmly for fourth place after struggling with high-speed sections. He praised Nico Hülkenberg's unexpected P4, highlighting Mercedes' inconsistent form. Meanwhile, Antonelli, who narrowly missed SQ3 due to locking issues and a faulty cooling vest, expressed disappointment but remained focused on the main race. Both drivers, recently confirmed for 2026, are optimistic about Mercedes' race pace.