George Russell’s negative streak in the 2026 season has once again become a topic of discussion in the Formula 1 environment. Former driver Martin Brundle stated in his column on Sky Sports F1 that the Briton needs to “believe that the wheel turns,” even being 43 points behind teammate Kimi Antonelli.
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Brundle also highlighted that Mercedes’ current advantage should not last: “There is still a long way to go, but McLaren, Ferrari, and Red Bull will not stand still either,” he said.
At the Canadian GP, Russell retired while leading after a battery failure completely shut down the W17 power unit. The victory went to Antonelli, his fourth consecutive win. The frustration was visible: the driver threw his headrest onto the track after exiting the car, which resulted in a suspended €5,000 fine.
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In China, Russell had a failure in the front wing and gearbox in Q3, which limited his fast lap, although he still secured second place on the grid. In Japan, the setback came from strategy and power issues. A pit stop before the safety car, caused by Oliver Bearman’s crash at Spoon, favored Antonelli and Lewis Hamilton. Later, an unexpected Mercedes “superclip” compromised his restart, and he finished fourth.
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