George Russell Regains Confidence, Eyes Championship Push

George Russell has expressed a renewed sense of confidence, stating he no longer feels "lost" and is optimistic about his prospects for the remainder of the season. The Mercedes driver believes a significant car upgrade is on the horizon and anticipates it will enable him to consistently challenge for race victories.

Russell admitted that he hasn't always felt capable of fighting for wins due to his own performances. "But now finally I feel I'm in a place I can fight for victory week in week out," he said. While acknowledging a substantial deficit in the championship standings with a third of the season remaining, Russell is focused on a race-by-race approach and feels more in sync with the car. He hopes the upcoming upgrade will further benefit his performance.

Initially a championship favorite, Russell faced early season challenges adapting to Mercedes' new car and engine regulations, leading him to "consciously adjust" his driving style. "Whereas now it's all just a bit more intuitive and a bit more natural," he explained. This adjustment allows him to focus more on pure speed rather than on adapting his driving.

Meanwhile, teammate Kimi Antonelli experienced a challenging weekend in Baku, where a qualifying crash resulted in a 16th-place grid start. Despite recovering to finish fifth, Antonelli described it as his worst weekend of the season. He noted the peculiarity of consciously trying to drive under the limit to secure a clean result after a disrupted weekend, emphasizing the need to be "100%" to achieve optimal outcomes.

In separate team news, Lewis Hamilton has publicly backed Ferrari team principal Fred Vasseur, dismissing speculation about his position. Hamilton stated that Vasseur is "the guy to lead us" and that removing him would be detrimental to the team's progress. "He's doing a fantastic job," Hamilton commented, highlighting Ferrari's improvement since their winless 2025 season. He pointed to the team's current second-place standing in the constructors' championship as evidence of progress, despite a significant deficit in engine power compared to rivals.

Hamilton acknowledged that Ferrari is not yet where it wants to be but believes a solid foundation has been built. "We're not perfect yet but I do believe we can get there," he said, adding that the team had the best chassis this year, but the power deficit made it difficult to overcome. He expressed optimism that this issue is being addressed for the following year.