George Russell has reflected on a difficult 2026 F1 season after his Mercedes teammate Kimi Antonelli secured the Drivers’ World Championship at the Mexico City GP. The Briton admitted that a promising start to the campaign had given way to disappointing performances and misfortune, leaving him unable to challenge his younger teammate for the title.
Antonelli became the youngest World Champion in F1 history after finishing third at the Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez. Max Verstappen claimed victory ahead of Lewis Hamilton, while Russell crossed the line in sixth place. The result officially ended Russell’s championship hopes, with Antonelli securing the title with several rounds remaining.
Russell had started the race from second on the grid, just 0.009 seconds behind pole-sitter Hamilton. However, a difficult opening lap saw him lose positions before the stewards handed him a ten-second penalty for causing a collision with Red Bull’s Isack Hadjar. The penalty further compromised his race and contributed to a disappointing afternoon for the Mercedes driver.
Following the 2026 F1 Mexico City GP, Russell took to social media to share his thoughts on the championship defeat, congratulate Antonelli and reaffirm his determination to return to his previous level of performance.
Russell reflects on difficult 2026 F1 campaign and congratulates Antonelli
Despite entering the season with high expectations, Russell acknowledged that his championship challenge had gradually fallen apart. The Mercedes driver admitted that the setbacks he encountered throughout the campaign made 2026 particularly difficult, with disappointing results outweighing his stronger performances.
In a heartfelt statement shared on social media, Russell reflected on how his season had developed:
“Now feels like a pretty suitable moment to speak from the heart. This season started off exactly how I had hoped but it very quickly unravelled with tough luck and poor performances. It’s been the first proper season of my career where I’ve had more bad days than good.”
His admission highlighted the frustration of a campaign in which Mercedes possessed the machinery to fight for the championship, but Russell struggled to maintain the consistency needed to remain in contention. Meanwhile, Antonelli capitalised on the team’s competitiveness to secure his maiden World Championship. Nevertheless, Russell recognised his teammate’s achievement and offered his congratulations rather than dwelling solely on his own disappointment.
“All I know is that I’ve given it my all and 2026 was not meant to be my year. I want to sincerely congratulate Kimi on what has been an absolutely incredible season. You truly deserve the Championship.”
Russell thanks Mercedes and vows to rediscover his performance
Although Russell missed out on the Drivers’ Championship, he also acknowledged the progress Mercedes had made since the beginning of the previous regulation cycle. The German manufacturer returned to the front of the field in 2026, providing both drivers with a competitive package. Russell praised the efforts of those working behind the scenes, recognising the commitment required to restore Mercedes to championship-winning form after several challenging seasons.
“Thank you to the team for producing the best car and power unit this season; it’s been inspiring to see everyone coming together over four tough years to bring Mercedes back to the top.”
With Antonelli securing the Drivers’ Championship, Mercedes’ resurgence has delivered a major success for the team. However, Russell’s individual campaign has fallen short of his expectations, leaving him determined to address the difficulties that prevented him from mounting a sustained title challenge. Looking ahead to the remaining races of 2026 and the following season, Russell promised to continue working towards regaining the performance that has characterised much of his F1 career.
“Now, all I can promise is that for the rest of this season, and into the next one, I will be giving my absolute all to rediscover the performance I have been capable of producing for the majority of my career and fingers crossed a little bit of luck returns.”
While his hopes of winning the 2026 title have ended, Russell still has opportunities to finish the campaign on a stronger note. His focus now turns towards rebuilding momentum and ensuring he can challenge for the championship again in 2027.
