Russell vows to keep fighting for 2026 title as he trails Antonelli by 81 points heading to Baku

Mercedes driver George Russell has insisted he will continue “keep fighting every single race until it's mathematically impossible” that he can’t win this year’s Formula 1 drivers’ championship, speaking at media day in Baku ahead of the Azerbaijan Grand Prix.

Russell enters the weekend 81 points behind his Mercedes teammate Kimi Antonelli in the drivers’ standings. The gap comes after Antonelli recorded an eighth victory of the season in Madrid. Russell’s most recent finish there was P5, and the article notes that he had said after the race that he was “not in the fight” for the title with nine rounds remaining.

In Baku, Russell said the priority remains improving performance rather than focusing on the championship deficit. He set an uncompromising target for each race, saying he wants to try to win every race and put the car on pole each time, while acknowledging the deficit but stating it is “not even a consideration right now.” He added that, while the pressure had come from trying to improve performance rather than chasing the title itself, his progress since the summer break has been positive.

Russell said he has been encouraged by his pace over the last three Grands Prix, during which Mercedes produced two podium results. He noted that the weakness in race pace has “substantially” improved and that he has been “in the mix every race since the break,” while leaving open how points might change over the remainder of the season.

Written by Vancouver Television Sports Desk