George Russell split the McLarens in Chinese GP qualifying, securing a surprising P2 position behind Oscar Piastri's maiden pole.

Russell described it as one of his most challenging qualifying sessions, experimenting with different tire preparation approaches before finding the perfect strategy on his final lap. Despite a dramatic moment at Turn 1, he delivered what he called an "awesome lap" to secure front-row positioning.

However, Russell remains realistic about his race prospects, citing concerns about tire management. The medium compound proved challenging during the Sprint race, and with the hard tire untested throughout the weekend, strategy uncertainty looms over Sunday's race.

The Mercedes driver acknowledges McLaren's superior pace, noting that while teammate Lewis Hamilton won the Sprint with Piastri in second, maintaining position in the full Grand Prix will be a significant challenge. The introduction of the unused hard tire compound adds an extra layer of unpredictability to race strategy, with teams yet to decide between one- or two-stop approaches.

Ferrari's strong Sprint performance surprised competitors, but Russell expects different dynamics to emerge in Sunday's full-length race, particularly with the introduction of the hard compound tire.

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