George Russell, who needs a gulp of oxygen more than any of his competitors in the contest for the Formula One world title, claimed pole position for the sprint race at the Dutch Grand Prix.The British driver achieved the accolade 0.041 of a second ahead of his compatriot and defending champion Lando Norris of McLaren.Charles Leclerc was third for Ferrari with Lewis Hamilton a slightly disappointing seventh best in the other red car, a place ahead of Max Verstappen, who this week signed a new deal with Red Bull, worth £70million a year plus bonuses.But, best of all for Russell, Kimi Antonelli, his Mercedes team-mate and nearest rival for the world crown, qualified fifth.Russell and Antonelli are separated by 59 points at F1’s post-summer resumption in Zandvoort, with 12 rounds remaining if the season works out as planned comprising races in the Middle East in late November and early December, war-permitting; 11 otherwise. George Russell celebrates his sprint race pole in the NetherlandsSpeaking at Holland’s seaside race venue less than an hour out of Amsterdam, Russell said: ‘It’s great to be back here after the break. It’s a circuit I love. It needs a lot of commitment.‘It was a tough end to the first half of the year and I’m really happy to come back.‘The lap felt good. It all came together nicely. It’s always difficult in sprint qualifying with just one shot on the soft tyre. The track always takes a step, the grip takes a step.‘McLaren look quick, Ferrari look quick but I’m glad to pull it off when it mattered.‘It is only sprint qualifying. The big points are on Sunday so I will try to carry this momentum into tomorrow.’Russell, 28, has just proposed to his Spanish girlfriend Carmen Montero Mundt. He was thrilled she said ‘yes’, which his team principal Toto Wolff believed may have helped lift his man’s spirits and fortunes after a stop-start season. He won in Australia on the first day of the campaign but has not done so other than in Austria three months later.‘George is coming back,’ said Wolff. ‘I think he feels so much pressure is off his shoulders after she accepted his marriage proposal!‘Some solid work on the day and from day to day. He put the dots together and had a very good lap.‘Kimi lost 20 points (of downforce) with a hole in the floor, but we managed to patch it up and it looked like it was completely intact afterwards.‘The gaps are so close and he made a little bit of a mistake at Turn 11, pushing too hard on the entry, and it can go quickly.‘On the long run Ferrari looked strong. We didn’t have that pace.‘But it’s the baby race. The important session is qualifying tomorrow for the Grand Prix proper.’There are only eight points up for the winner of the sprint, but nibbling into that bounty would still be a welcome bonus for husband-to-be George.