Russell 'paid the price' for failed Mercedes qualifying experiment

George Russell was left to "pay the price" after a Mercedes qualifying experiment backfired at the Japanese Grand Prix. 

Russell was a contender for a slot on the front two rows of the grid at Suzuka but a poor first sector on his final Q3 lap meant he could only take fifth fastest, and will be joined on the third row by team-mate Kimi Antonelli. 

The Briton was out-qualified by Ferrari's Charles Leclerc by just 0.019s as Russell explained how decision Mercedes already knew to be the wrong one came back to bite the team. 

"We were stretching for a bit more from the tyres with a slower out-lap, and ultimately, just had no grip at the beginning [of the final] lap," Russell told media including RacingNews365. 

"It was a shame but P5 is not a horrendous place to be. 

"The track was getting colder, and we went slower on the out-lap which we knew from all our experiences was not the thing to be doing, but we decided that that was the right decision, and ultimately paid the price.

"It is part of the game, and we got it right [in China] but we didn't get it right here. We thought we were a bit too hot on the first run of Q3, but we weren't convinced.

"We tried something a bit different for the last lap, and it was just way too cold, it was about eight degrees cooler through the session with track temperature, and we didn't react to that. 

"We paid the price, but P5 is not a horrendous price to play."