George Russell brands 2026 “relentless” after late Bahrain GP retirement

By Vancouver Television Sports Desk

George Russell’s Bahrain Grand Prix in Malaysia ended in frustration as the Mercedes driver was forced to retire late in the race due to a suspected power unit issue. After a difficult weekend shaped by rain—triggering a delayed start, then a suspended start procedure, and later shifting conditions—Russell had stayed in contention near the front and was still on course for third place during a late Safety Car phase.

But during that Safety Car period, Russell pulled to the side of the track when Mercedes confirmed his retirement was caused by a suspected problem with the power unit. Speaking to the media after the race, the 28-year-old said the moment was “just a bit of a shame,” adding: “Another failure, when we were on course for a pretty certain podium. It’s a tough one to take. It’s unfortunately happened too many times this season, and, yeah, this is just where we are.”

The non-score compounded Mercedes’ disappointment: Russell’s retirement meant he did not convert that podium potential into points, with the race finishing with Max Verstappen taking the win and team mate Kimi Antonelli crossing the line in second place. The result also carried major championship implications, with Russell’s DNF contributing to an expanded gap at the top of the standings.

According to the race coverage, Antonelli’s second-place finish elevated him to lead the championship by 84 points. Russell’s Bahrain non-finish was also identified as his third retirement of the 2026 campaign, underscoring how often points have slipped away despite periods of strong performance.

Asked whether his chances of winning the title are now over, Russell replied: “Yeah, yeah, I’d say so.” He said he needed “everything to be going my way” to mount a recovery, but that the weekend had not gone in his favour. “Never say never but, yeah, it’s just pretty relentless this season with the amount of things that have gone away from us, that have been outside of our control,” he added.