59 points behind Kimi Antonelli, George Russell refuses to give up on his ambitions. Freed from pressure, the Brit believes he has reached a new level.
Read more Carlos Sainz reveals his concerns before extending with Williams
George Russell now approaches the title race with a different philosophy. After a difficult first half of the 2026 season, the Mercedes driver believes he has found some answers to the challenges faced with the W17 and, above all, adopted a mindset that could allow him to bounce back.
After twelve Grands Prix, Russell is 59 points behind his teammate Kimi Antonelli. The Italian also holds a clear advantage in wins, with six victories compared to two for the Brit.
The situation is therefore delicate, but Russell does not consider the championship over. On the contrary, he now feels he has little to lose.
Antonelli adapted better to the Mercedes
Russell had, however, ideally started his campaign by winning the opening round in Australia.
But the rest of the season proved much more inconsistent. The Brit notably struggled to adapt his driving style to the particular characteristics of the W17 and its tires.
Meanwhile, Antonelli quickly found the right formula.
“The truth is obviously that Kimi is doing an incredible job this season and that we clearly have quite different driving styles,” Russell admits.
This difference already existed last season, but the 2026 car seems to suit the Italian’s qualities better.
“It was already obvious last year and it really works well for him with this car and these tires. I’m just trying to incorporate something similar into my own driving style.”
Russell had to change his driving
Profoundly changing certain habits is never easy for a Formula 1 driver.
Russell himself compares this work to that of a golfer deciding to change their swing.
“I would describe it like when you change your golf swing. You will probably take a half-step back before you can really progress.”
The Brit believes the summer break has precisely allowed him to assimilate the lessons learned over the past months.
Rather than constantly thinking about the adaptations he needed to make behind the wheel, Russell tried to integrate them more naturally.
“The break allowed me to put all these lessons in a corner of my mind, to come here without being obsessed with what I wanted to get from the car and tires, but knowing unconsciously what I had to accomplish and just driving more freely.”
A “toolbox” for the future
This evolution represents a true personal satisfaction for Russell.
Even if the difficulties faced this season have compromised his title ambitions, they could also make him more complete for the years to come.
“I’m really very proud because it allows me to build a kind of toolbox of experiences that will enable me to be even better in the coming years.”
Russell also knows that the solutions found today will not necessarily work with future generations of cars.
“Who knows, maybe next year the technology will be completely different again. That’s the beauty and the difficulty of Formula 1: every year is different.”
Read more Valtteri Bottas clarifies his future after the upheaval at Cadillac
This adaptability could become one of the main lessons of his 2026 season.
Zandvoort confirms Russell’s progress
The Dutch Grand Prix brought some encouraging signs.
Russell dominated the Sprint before qualifying second for the main race. He thus reduced his gap to Antonelli by three points before the Grand Prix.
But the Italian ultimately finished second on Sunday, just ahead of Russell. The two drivers therefore left Zandvoort with exactly the same gap as when they arrived: 59 points.
The Brit nevertheless refuses to claim that all his problems are now definitively solved.
“I’m just going to take the races one after the other. I’m not going to leave this weekend saying all the problems are solved.”
A season disrupted by many problems
Russell also believes that his difficulties cannot be solely attributed to his adaptation to the W17.
He had already made significant changes to his driving before Barcelona, with encouraging results in Spain and then Austria.
“I think I made big changes before the Barcelona weekend and then had good races in Barcelona and Austria.”
But technical problems then disrupted his progress.
“At Silverstone and Spa, we had the issue with the power unit, and Budapest simply wasn’t a competitive weekend for me.”
For Russell, the lack of continuity also explains his championship deficit.
“I just think we never managed to string things together cleanly this season. It really hasn’t been a smooth season with all the problems we’ve encountered.”
“I have nothing to lose”
The summer break seems to have triggered a real psychological change.
With 59 points behind and only two wins compared to six for Antonelli, Russell is no longer in the favorite position. And this situation could ultimately suit him.
“Since the break, I feel much more relaxed. I don’t feel like I have anything to lose.”
The Brit now wants to free himself from championship pressure and simply seize every opportunity.
“The pressure has dropped. I’m just going to get on track, enjoy it, and I don’t even really feel like I’m in a battle.”
His philosophy is now very simple.
“It’s not about me losing something, it’s about me going to get it. That’s the mindset I have now and I think it will help me. I’m just enjoying driving.”
Russell remains far behind Antonelli in the championship, but he seems to have regained something he had been missing for several months: freedom behind the wheel. With a better understanding of the W17 and now “nothing to lose,” the Brit hopes to turn a difficult season into a valuable experience… and perhaps still put pressure on his teammate.
Read more Red Bull reveals an unexpected effect of Max Verstappen’s contract extension