A survey conducted by the international portal RacingNews365 shows that most readers no longer see George Russell as a real contender for the Formula 1 title in 2026. After the Italian GP, 74.9% of voters considered the Briton’s chances in the championship race over.
Read more F1: Bearman reveals unusual advice for Verstappen before challenge at Silverstone
Only 25.1% still believe in a Russell comeback. The result comes right after a race in which the Mercedes driver finished second, less than four seconds behind teammate Kimi Antonelli.
The problem is that, even with a good result in Monza, Russell saw the championship situation become even more complicated. Antonelli started from 19th position and managed an impressive home victory, increasing his lead at the top to 66 points, with probably nine races remaining.
Read more F1: Krack urges caution in the first practice sessions in Madring’s debut in Spain
The math still prevents Russell from being completely ruled out. With well over 200 points available, the driver would still have a chance to close the gap. For that, however, he would need to reach a near-perfect level in the upcoming rounds, while Antonelli would have to face a significant drop in performance.
The scenario could also become more difficult due to an impending engine penalty. Mercedes confirmed that Russell has already exhausted his quota of power units without penalty, which makes the path to a championship recovery even steeper.
Read more F1: Audi appeals to FIA in Tsunoda case and wants point for Bortoleto in Monza
