Johnny Herbert believes that George Russell’s 2026 season has been influenced by two particular factors: the strong campaign of his teammate Kimi Antonelli and the threat of four-time Formula 1 champion Max Verstappen for his seat.
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The Briton started the championship as the favorite for the title, but the first half of the championship has shown a very different scenario. Not only is the Italian from Mercedes leading with six wins in 11 rounds, but Lewis Hamilton is also the runner-up.
Therefore, Herbert, former FIA steward, highlighted that the situation is difficult for Russell, especially since he expected 2026 to be his year in F1. “I believe that Kimi Antonelli’s consistency is, without a doubt, causing problems for George Russell at the moment. It seems that every time Russell gets in the car, he is widely outperformed by Kimi,” he said.
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“I know it hasn’t been a perfect season for him. I know luck may not have been on his side, but that’s part of Formula 1. The situation will be difficult for him, as everyone, including me, thought this would be George’s year. But that was not what happened,” he continued.
Herbert also commented on the chance of Verstappen joining Mercedes in the future. “There are constant rumors about Max Verstappen possibly moving to Mercedes in the medium term, which certainly doesn’t help Russell’s morale. George is aware that his seat is threatened,” he concluded.
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