Formula 1 had an intense start in 2026, and George Russell has already identified where he needs to improve. The Mercedes driver prefers to focus on his own shortcomings, while seeing teammate Kimi Antonelli open up a lead.
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Even with a competitive car and three victories in the first three GPs of the year, in addition to also winning the Sprint race in China, the German team faces some difficulties at the starts. This factor has cost important positions, directly impacting the internal dispute between the drivers.
Russell downplayed the pressure of facing Antonelli, who has good results and has already won two races this season: “I’m not thinking about Kimi, or the championship. I’m focused on myself,” he stated. The Briton emphasized that consistency throughout the year will be crucial in determining the champion.
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Despite Mercedes’ good overall performance, including dominance in qualifying sessions, the British driver recognized clear areas for improvement. Starts and restarts after Safety Car periods were cited as critical areas: “I need to improve at the starts, because that’s a very important factor. I also made procedural errors under the Safety Car, which cost me positions,” he added.
Russell believes that correcting these details can quickly change the scenario. According to him, adjustments in these areas would put the team in an even stronger position in the races, reinforcing the focus on execution for the next stages of the season.
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