George Russell has reflected on his qualifying performance at the 2021 Belgian Grand Prix, a session he describes as a career highlight. The current Mercedes driver achieved a front-row start for Williams at Spa-Francorchamps in challenging wet conditions. This marked a significant moment for the team at the time.
During the Q3 session on August 28, 2021, Russell initially held provisional pole with a lap time of 2:00.086. This placed him ahead of Lewis Hamilton, who was then driving for Mercedes. The track was drying but remained treacherous, demanding precision.
Max Verstappen, driving for Red Bull, ultimately secured pole position. His final lap of 1:59.765 edged out Russell by 0.321 seconds. Hamilton qualified third, just 0.013 seconds behind Russell.
The performance was a notable achievement for Williams, marking their first front-row start since the 2017 Italian Grand Prix. It was also the first time the team had been second quickest in qualifying since Valtteri Bottas at the 2014 German Grand Prix.
Williams had made a strategic call in Q1, sending both Russell and Nicholas Latifi out on intermediate tyres when most other teams used full wets. This decision proved correct as the track quickly evolved.
The qualifying session was interrupted by a red flag after Lando Norris crashed heavily at Raidillon in Q3. Despite the incident, Norris walked away unharmed.
The 2021 Belgian Grand Prix itself was heavily affected by rain. The race was eventually red-flagged after only a few laps behind the safety car, with half points awarded. Russell secured his maiden Formula 1 podium, finishing second.
Russell acknowledged at the time that maintaining second place in dry race conditions would have been challenging. Williams’ strategist had estimated their car to be the 17th fastest on the grid for that event.
The 2021 season was an improved year for Williams under new ownership, Dorilton Capital, and CEO Jost Capito. The team scored 23 points, including two double points finishes in Hungary and Belgium.
Russell, now 28, is currently competing for Mercedes in the 2026 Formula 1 season. He is partnered with Andrea Kimi Antonelli, with their line-up confirmed in October 2025.
Mercedes has emerged as a leading contender in the current 2026 season, with Russell securing victories at the Australian and Austrian Grands Prix. He holds a contract with Mercedes until at least the end of the 2026 season.
His current contract includes a performance clause that could secure his position for the 2027 season. Discussions regarding Max Verstappen’s potential move to Mercedes for 2026 had influenced Russell’s contract negotiations.
I was like, ‘Crikey, this is too good to be true.’ Verstappen’s going fast enough to just sneak ahead of Russell. And now it’s the charge to the line for Max Verstappen. It’s going to come up quickly. Is it going to come up quickly enough for pole? Yes, it is. Verstappen denies George Russell. My engineer came on the radio: ‘That’s a stonking lap. You’ve outqualified Mr. Hamilton. George Russell P2. Come on!’
