George Russell started 2026 as one of the favorites for the Formula 1 title, but the season has shown that the Brit still needs to evolve to fully enter the championship fight. After stating in 2025 that he was ready to compete for the World Championship, the Mercedes driver has faced difficulties in the battle with Kimi Antonelli, his teammate.
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At the Belgian GP, Russell faced problems in qualifying. Toto Wolff, Mercedes boss, said that only two tenths lost in qualifying were related to the equipment, while the rest was a consequence of the Brit’s driving style. Russell also did not mention that all Mercedes engines suffered problems on the first lap.
In the race, even with this limitation, Russell tried to overtake Oscar Piastri and Lewis Hamilton on the outside. Hamilton, with cold tires and in Max Verstappen’s dirty air, ended up touching the Brit. With a faster car, the risk taken by Russell completely compromised his race.
Although he faced a series of setbacks in 2026 — such as the Safety Cars in China and Japan, the retirement in Canada, Mercedes’ error in Monaco, and the puncture in Silverstone — Russell was not the only unlucky one. Antonelli also retired in Barcelona, suffered a technical problem in Silverstone, and lost performance in several starts because of the Mercedes engine.
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In Belgium, the Italian highlighted that his retirements happened precisely when he had great chances to win. In Canada, he was already pressuring Russell before his teammate’s retirement. In China and Japan, his pace was superior before the Safety Cars, while in Monaco he was still in conditions to fight for the victory.
Even considering the points lost due to bad luck, the difference between the two drivers is not that big. The main distinction lies in how each reacts to difficulties. While Antonelli shows maturity and accepts the natural problems of the category, Russell tends to point out team faults without self-criticism.
This attitude reinforces that the Brit still does not seem as prepared to fight for a world title as he believed in 2025. To fight for the championship, it is necessary to maximize results every weekend. And, so far, Antonelli has managed to do this more frequently than Russell.
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