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George Russell admitted that his struggles during the 2026 Formula 1 season, while Mercedes teammate Kimi Antonelli secured the drivers’ title, have been extremely difficult to handle and left him frequently confused.
A Challenging Campaign After a Strong Start
Russell entered the season as the favorite and claimed victory in the opening race, but his form faded as Antonelli gained unstoppable momentum. In a social media post reported by BBC Sport, the British driver congratulated Antonelli on an incredible campaign and stated that the Italian truly deserved the championship.
Reflecting on his season, Russell shared that while it began precisely as he had hoped, things quickly unraveled due to difficult luck and poor performances. He noted that it marked the first proper season of his career with more bad days than good, making it very tough to deal with and pick himself up week after week.
Russell has secured three race victories compared to Antonelli’s nine. A sixth-place finish at the Mexico City Grand Prix dropped him to fourth in the championship standings, as Max Verstappen and Lewis Hamilton finished ahead of him and Antonelli on Sunday, pushing Verstappen into second place ahead of Hamilton.
More Misfortune in Mexico
The Mexico race brought another round of tough luck for Russell, who started from second on the grid behind Hamilton. An energy deployment glitch at the start left him short on power, causing him to drop back as the rest of the field swamped him.
A subsequent misjudgment resulted in a collision with Red Bull driver Isack Hadjar at Turn Six, sending Hadjar into a spin and earning Russell a 10-second penalty. Despite his difficulties, Russell expressed gratitude to Mercedes for building the best car and power unit of the season, calling it inspiring to watch everyone unite over four hard years to return the team to the top.
Having entered the weekend knowing Antonelli was almost certain to claim the title, Russell became visibly emotional and neared tears on the FIA scales after the race. Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff encountered him at that moment and excused him from post-race media obligations.
Toto Wolff stated to BBC Sport that he found Russell distraught on the scales, noting the driver’s strong sportsmanship in going to congratulate Kimi. Wolff added that having known Russell for a long time, he understood the sportsperson was experiencing a difficult period, making it completely understandable for him to skip media duties and leave the track.
Looking Ahead to the Future
Kimi Antonelli acknowledged his teammate’s struggles after the race, noting that Russell had indeed faced more bad luck than him during the year. Antonelli praised Russell as super-quick and difficult to beat when on form, predicting a strong comeback.
Looking forward, Russell promised on Instagram to give his absolute all for the remainder of the current season and into the next to rediscover his usual performance level, while hoping for a return of good fortune.
