09/06/26 03:51:00
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09/06 03:50 CDT Russell aims to trim Antonelli's F1 lead at Italian GP, but
starts behind surprise polesitter Gasly
Russell aims to trim Antonelli's F1 lead at Italian GP, but starts behind
surprise polesitter Gasly
By DANIELLA MATAR
AP Sports Writer
MONZA, Italy (AP) --- George Russell will be looking to make up some ground on
Kimi Antonelli in the Formula 1 title race, with his Mercedes teammate starting
from the back of the grid at the Italian Grand Prix.
But he will start second, behind surprise polesitter Pierre Gasly, who stunned
everyone by snatching top spot for the first time in qualifying on Saturday.
Russell will also have both Ferrari cars breathing down his neck as Charles
Leclerc and Lewis Hamilton fill out the second row in the scuderia's home race,
where they will be cheered on by the hordes of passionate, red-clad tifosi.
Russell is second in the overall standings, level with Hamilton and 59 points
behind Antonelli, who is bidding to become F1's youngest champion.
The 20-year-old Antonelli has taken on a hefty grid penalty at Monza after
Mercedes opted to swap his car's power unit to head off potential reliability
problems in the second half of the season.
Lando Norris is hoping to make it a hat trick of victories to turbocharge his
title defense but he starts in eighth. The McLaren driver triumphed in Hungary
and the Netherlands to cut the gap to Antonelli to 83 points.
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