George Russell described his 2026 Formula 1 season as "tough to deal with" and "often confused" after his teammate Kimi Antonelli clinched the drivers' championship. Russell, who began the season as a favorite and won the opening race, found his campaign unraveling due to a combination of bad luck and underperformance. Antonelli, meanwhile, built unstoppable momentum, ultimately winning nine races to Russell's three.
In a social media post, Russell congratulated Antonelli, stating the Italian "truly deserved the championship." He reflected on the season, noting it was the first in his career where he experienced more bad days than good. "Has it been tough to pick myself up week in, week out? Yes, very," Russell shared.
The Mexico City Grand Prix, where Russell finished sixth, highlighted his season's struggles. Starting second behind teammate Lewis Hamilton, a glitch in the energy deployment system off the start line hampered his performance. Later in the race, a misjudgment led to contact with Isack Hadjar, resulting in a 10-second penalty.
Despite the difficulties, Russell thanked his team for "producing the best car and power-unit this season" and expressed inspiration at Mercedes' return to competitiveness over four challenging years. Team Principal Toto Wolff observed Russell's distress after the Mexico race and permitted him to skip post-race media duties, understanding the emotional toll of the season. Wolff acknowledged Russell's sportsmanship in congratulating Antonelli and emphasized his support for his driver.
Russell vowed to "give my absolute all to rediscover the performance I have been capable of" in the remaining races and into the next season, hoping for a return of good fortune. Antonelli, acknowledging Russell's speed and past success, stated that the focus for all drivers will need to be on continuous improvement to contend in what is expected to be a tightly fought upcoming season against rivals like Red Bull, Ferrari, and McLaren.