George Russell says 2026 has “tested my character and resilience” as Kimi Antonelli could clinch the title at the United States Grand Prix

By Vancouver Television Sports Desk

George Russell said the 2026 season has “tested my character and resilience,” describing how he has tried to respond to a run of setbacks that have undermined his title chances. The Mercedes driver told Formula 1 that it is “a matter of when, not if” Kimi Antonelli clinches the Drivers’ Championship, with Russell also conceding that he is “not in the fight” this year.

Russell said his year began strongly, but he later fell behind his Mercedes team mate as Antonelli’s advantage grew. He pointed to an “incompatibility with the car” and “reliability issues” that affected Russell’s results, while Antonelli’s lead steadily increased as both drivers navigated Mercedes’ changing performance across the campaign.

Despite the challenges, Russell cited victories at Austria and Azerbaijan as evidence of the progress he was able to make during the season. However, he acknowledged that the wider competitive picture shifted as other teams closed deficits to Mercedes through upgrades, leaving his path to a maiden world title largely out of his control.

Russell said Antonelli’s first chance to be crowned champion comes at this weekend’s United States Grand Prix. The qualification window described by Russell includes the condition that Antonelli’s clinching “partly relies on Russell finishing ninth or lower,” though Russell stressed that he was prepared to accept that he is unlikely to play a direct role in securing the title for himself or Mercedes.

“Whether it’s this weekend or next weekend, it’s a matter of when, not if, he clinches it,” Russell said. He added that the season has required deep self-assessment, saying he has repeatedly asked himself how he wants to “bounce back from these blows”—whether to accept “misfortune” and “poor performances,” or to “rectify things” by focusing on controllable factors.

Russell said he intends to carry pride in continuing to fight through adversity, describing Mercedes as supporting him and insisting this “won’t be my last shot” once he has “a car beneath me that can fight for victory.” He said that after this weekend, Mercedes will work to “get … back on top,” and he expects to see what that rebuilding effort sets up for the future.

Looking beyond 2026, Russell said that while he does not view his experience as a single “lesson,” the season has forced him to adapt and improve. He described it as a period that has “very much tested my character and resilience,” adding that it has also taught him about himself because he has “never really found” himself in this type of situation in his career before.

Russell said he learned about the way he responds in difficult moments, explaining that his focus shifted from championship concerns to performance recovery. He recalled worrying less about the title itself early in the year and more about how to restore the level of driving he knows he is capable of—specifically what he needs from the car and what changes he must make in his driving to get back to the front.

Russell also addressed the effect of “misfortune,” calling it “salt to the wound,” but said he does not intend to stop. He said he plans to be in the sport for “many, many, many years,” arguing that when you are “kicked to the floor,” you cannot give up—you must “bounce back.”

Finally, Russell noted that both he and Antonelli are set to continue racing for Mercedes in 2027. He said that continuity gives him confidence he can apply what he has learned from the current struggles and come back stronger in the next phase of his career.