UPDATED: Untelevised Mercedes team radio emerges after Russell sets Austrian GP pole

Untelevised team radio footage from Austrian Grand Prix qualifying has uncovered Kimi Antonelli’s reaction after Mercedes teammate George Russell set pole position.

A late crash for Red Bull’s Max Verstappen saw Q3 finish under yellow flag conditions, yet Russell improved to take pole in a lap later cleared by the FIA stewards.

Kimi Antonelli chases answers on George Russell Austria pole

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This article has been updated after further team radio messages from both Mercedes drivers surfaced

Antonelli, who backed out of his final lap, could be heard over team radio asking how Russell improved in an exchange with race engineer Peter Bonnington.

Antonelli had topped the opening two stages of qualifying, but come Q3 a thrilling multi-driver and team battle for pole erupted.

Verstappen firmly inserted himself in the conversation before Lewis Hamilton improved to provisional pole. He was usurped by Ferrari teammate Charles Leclerc.

Verstappen, Antonelli and Russell all looked to respond.

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F1 starting grid: Russell snatches pole amid yellow flag drama

But disaster struck for Verstappen as he lost control of the Red Bull RB22 through Turn 9. Spinning into the barriers, Verstappen’s qualifying was over.

With the yellows flags out, there was confusion as Russell clocked a 1:06.113 to take pole.

The key was the version of yellow flag under which the session ended.

Russell believed he had seen a single waved yellow, instructing him to slow, which he did, yet he still had the pace to take pole by two tenths from Leclerc.

Antonelli, meanwhile, thought he saw double yellows, which instruct drivers to significantly reduce speed and prepare to stop.

Antonelli abandoned his lap and will start fourth as a result.

So, as Russell went P1, Antonelli jumped on the radio to ask his experienced race engineer what was going on.

The full exchange went as follows:

Antonelli: “How did George improve?”

Bonnington: “He did apparently lift through the yellow.”

Antonelli: “Yeah, but it was a double yellow.”

Bono: “I’d need to double check that.”

That exchange came after Antonelli was left disappointed by the sight of the yellow flag, insisting that he would have been on course for pole position.

Bonnington: “Yellow, yellow. Yellow, yellow.”

Antonelli: “****! That was the lap, man! That was the lap! Oh my God. That was the lap, man.”

Russell was heard telling Mercedes over team radio after he passed the scene of Verstappen’s accident: “Lifted entry through that corner. Lost a lot of time, but I lifted.

“Big lift on the entry of that corner. I lost a good tenth and a bit.”

As reported by PlanetF1.com, Antonelli called for a review of the situation after qualifying, believing that Verstappen’s crash warranted a double yellow flag situation to force all drivers to abort their runs.

Antonelli enters Sunday’s race in Austria with a 41-point lead over Hamilton after suffering his first retirement of the F1 2026 season at the last race in Barcelona.

Russell sits nine points behind Hamilton having gone without a win since the season-opening Australian Grand Prix in March.

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