Karun Chandhok pinpoints the tiny details that denied Lewis Hamilton pole position in Barcelona. The crucial moments that allowed George Russell to beat Lewis Hamilton.

The battle for pole position at the Spanish Grand Prix was decided by the smallest of margins, but according to former Formula 1 driver and analyst Karun Chandhok, the difference between George Russell and Lewis Hamilton can be traced back to just a handful of key moments during their final qualifying laps.

George Russell ultimately secured pole position at the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya by only 0.064 seconds, narrowly beating Lewis Hamilton in one of the closest qualifying contests of the season. The result created an all-British front row and highlighted just how competitive Ferrari has become following its latest round of upgrades.

For Lewis Hamilton, the outcome was bittersweet. The seven-time world champion produced his strongest qualifying performance since joining Ferrari and came within touching distance of claiming his first pole position in red. Yet in Formula 1, especially at the front of the grid, the difference between success and disappointment is often measured in hundredths of a second.

Karun Chandhok believes the onboard footage from both drivers reveals exactly where that difference was created.

Turn 10 proved to be the first turning point

Analyzing the final Q3 laps, Chandhok identified Turn 10 as the first area where Lewis Hamilton surrendered valuable time to George Russell.

Although Lewis Hamilton had been faster through much of the opening portion of the lap, the Ferrari driver adopted a different approach into the slow left-hander. According to Chandhok, George Russell delayed his turn-in point and prioritized a cleaner exit, while the seven-time world champion entered the corner earlier and found himself fighting understeer.

That difference in approach had consequences that extended well beyond a single corner. By rotating the car more effectively, George Russell was able to position his Mercedes for a stronger exit. Lewis Hamilton, meanwhile, drifted slightly wider and was forced onto a less favorable section of the circuit, compromising both grip and momentum.

Chandhok noted that the the Maranello team’s driver experienced a visible snap while trying to recover the situation, costing him time and increasing tyre stress during a critical phase of the lap.

Although the time loss appeared minor in isolation, it became increasingly significant when combined with what happened later in the final sector.

Ferrari remained strong through the middle sector

Despite the setback at Turn 10, Lewis Hamilton remained firmly in contention for pole position.

The Ferrari SF-26 displayed excellent pace through Barcelona’s medium- and high-speed corners, particularly through the long right-hander at Turn 12. This allowed Lewis Hamilton to remain marginally ahead of George Russell as both drivers approached the final section of the circuit. At that stage, the data suggested pole position could still go either way.

In fact, the onboard comparisons showed that Lewis Hamilton had largely recovered the time he believed he had lost earlier in the lap. The Ferrari driver was still carrying enough speed to challenge for the fastest time despite the imperfections in the first two sectors.

That set the stage for a dramatic conclusion to one of the most competitive qualifying sessions of the year.

The final corner that settled the fight for pole

According to Chandhok, the decisive difference came in the final corner.

While both drivers attacked the last sector aggressively, George Russell’s commitment through Turn 14 stood out. The Mercedes driver required only the slightest throttle lift before returning to full power, allowing him to maximize momentum all the way to the finish line.

Lewis Hamilton, by comparison, was forced into a more noticeable lift, sacrificing crucial speed on corner exit and during the sprint to the chequered flag. In a qualifying session decided by just 64 thousandths of a second, that tiny difference proved enough to swing pole position in Mercedes’ favour.

Chandhok concluded that George Russell’s superior execution through the final corner, combined with Lewis Hamilton’s compromised run through Turn 10, effectively explained the entire gap between the two drivers.

It was a reminder of how unforgiving modern Formula 1 qualifying has become. A slightly different line, a fractionally earlier throttle application or a marginally smaller lift can determine who starts from pole.

Lewis Hamilton also pinpointed another costly moment

Interestingly, Lewis Hamilton’s own assessment of the lap highlighted an additional area where he believed time had slipped away.

During post-qualifying discussions with his Ferrari race engineer Carlo Santi, Lewis Hamilton suggested that he had gone slightly too deep into Turn 1. The mistake forced him to compensate during the remainder of the lap and may have contributed to the narrow deficit at the finish. Even so, there was plenty of encouragement for Ferrari.

Second place on the grid represented the Briton’s best Grand Prix qualifying result since joining the Scuderia. More importantly, it offered further evidence that Ferrari’s latest upgrades are beginning to close the gap to Mercedes at a crucial stage of the season.

While George Russell ultimately secured pole position, Lewis Hamilton’s performance demonstrated that Ferrari is now firmly back in the fight at the front. Had just one or two corners been executed slightly differently, the seven-time world champion might well have celebrated his first Ferrari pole position instead.