George Russell admits Mercedes' exceptional pace at the Las Vegas Grand Prix came as a major surprise after securing pole position, following the team's dominance across all three practice sessions.

Despite needing a front wing change after brushing the wall during his first Q3 run, Russell managed to claim pole position in his final lap - his first since the British Grand Prix. The achievement was particularly noteworthy as Mercedes topped all practice sessions, with Lewis Hamilton leading Thursday's session before Russell dominated FP3.

"It feels incredible to be back on pole," Russell stated, expressing both surprise and satisfaction at Mercedes' unexpected performance. "We've been so quick all weekend, and I just knew coming into that last Q3 lap, that's going to be the one that counts."

The race presents several strategic challenges, particularly regarding tire management. Russell highlighted that no driver has tested the hard compound tire during the weekend, while both medium and soft compounds have shown significant graining issues. This uncertainty could significantly impact race strategy.

"It's going to be probably surviving that first stint and going from there," Russell explained. "Here in Vegas, anything can happen. It's a long race." He also noted the potential impact of safety cars, referencing similar situations from last year's race and the recent Brazilian Grand Prix.

The British driver, who revealed he took a 45-minute nap before qualifying, remains cautiously optimistic about the race, acknowledging that while qualifying success is important, converting pole position into a race win is the ultimate goal.

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