George Russell addresses controversial pole as latest Ferrari fight awaits

George Russell has addressed his controversial pole position for the Austrian Grand Prix, insisting he lifted significantly off the throttle.

Russell was on an incredible final lap in qualifying at the Red Bull Ring; however, the Briton encountered yellow flags at the penultimate corner.

The yellow flags were triggered by Max Verstappen crashing while also in contention for pole, impacting both Kimi Antonelli and Russell.

Antonelli completely bailed out of his lap, while Russell did not, securing pole by more than two-tenths of a second.

It immediately raised questions over whether the lap would be deleted; however, onboard footage and data showed that Russell had lifted off the throttle during the yellow-flagged section of the circuit, allowing him to keep pole.

"I feel incredible. It was such an amazing lap," said Russell. "I saw the yellow and had a big lift into the corner. 

"I was five-tenths up, and when I came out of the last corner, I was two-and-a-half tenths up. It was a single yellow as well, not a double, so I should be okay.

"It was a tough day, but it was so special to get that lap, and everything felt so sweet. So, I'm really proud of the job we all did."

Russell has given himself a huge opportunity at the Red Bull Ring by claiming pole, while Antonelli will start fourth behind the two Ferraris.

Charles Leclerc and Lewis Hamilton came alive in the final part of qualifying, with Russell knowing that another battle with Ferrari awaits.

Looking ahead to the race, Russell said: "Yeah, it's going to be very hot. The Ferraris are looking incredibly fast. In the corners, they're the fastest team at the moment. They're maybe a bit draggier than us, which may help us to defend."

Who do you think will take victory in the Austrian Grand Prix? Let us know by voting below in the latest poll from RacingNews365!