Antonelli Youngest Polesitter After Russell Issues In China

Antonelli's caller grounds - he is 19 years and 212 days aged - hit nan erstwhile held by Sebastian Vettel, who was 21 years and 72 days aged erstwhile he took rod astatine nan 2008 Italian Grand Prix.

Antonelli said he was "very happy" but accepted that he mightiness good not person taken rod had Russell had a problem-free qualifying.

He said: "George had an issue, truthful astir apt could person been a different communicative but happy to beryllium connected rod for nan first time."

Russell described his 2nd spot arsenic "damage limitation" aft a litany of problems done qualifying.

The title leader said: "It was a crazy session. Front helping collapsed astatine nan extremity of Q2. The squad weren't judge it had surgery but I was judge it had. Then sewage stranded connected way and conscionable made it backmost retired successful time. It was much a lawsuit of conscionable getting a thigh done.

"P2 is amended than I was expecting erstwhile I started nan thigh pinch nary artillery and tyre temperature. Really happy to beryllium present because I could person been down successful 10th."

In nan first session, Leclerc became nan first driver to hit Russell successful a competitory convention this twelvemonth pinch a clip conscionable nether 0.1secs quicker than nan Briton.

Then successful nan 2nd session, Russell ended up 3rd fastest down Antonelli and Leclerc aft he suffered a surgery beforehand helping flap.

Heading retired for nan last convention pinch a caller wing, Russell's car stopped connected way connected his retired thigh arsenic nan gearbox refused to alteration gear.

Antonelli drove past his team-mate arsenic he group nan fastest clip connected his first flying lap, 0.3secs quicker than Leclerc.

After frantic activity successful nan garage, Mercedes managed to hole Russell's car by applying a bid of default procedures specified arsenic switching nan car disconnected and connected again and swapping retired nan steering wheel.

He sewage conscionable retired successful clip to group a thigh but his rushed mentation meant nan car was not successful its optimum information arsenic he went for a time.

However, Antonelli had his ain problems connected his last tally - he suffered nan aforesaid beforehand helping problem has Russell had done successful Q2.

Hamilton, who tussled pinch Russell for nan lead successful nan opening laps of nan sprint title earlier connected Saturday, was 0.351secs disconnected rod and said he had hopes of challenging nan Mercedes again successful nan expansive prix.

"It was a really reliable qualifying," Hamilton said. "A spot harder pinch nan wind. It is truthful gusty today. So challenging.

"Really happy and grateful to beryllium up present pinch these guys. Engineers did immoderate awesome activity complete nan break and managed to get a small person to these guys.

"It's still going to beryllium a situation but I americium judge we're going to person immoderate fun. Learned a batch successful nan sprint title and our extremity is to break nan spread to these guys somehow."

The McLarens were conscionable complete 0.1secs down nan Ferraris and Norris said: "We're happy we're adjacent to them, gives america a bully changeable astatine tomorrow."

But Verstappen was downcast to beryllium astir a 2nd disconnected nan gait successful nan Red Bull.

"We alteration a batch connected nan car, and it makes zero difference," nan four-time world champion said.

"The full play we've been off. The car is wholly undriveable. I cannot moreover put a spot of a reference in. Every thigh is for illustration survival."