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George Russell believes that not chasing championships in the past helped him deliver stronger performances on track. Speaking to media, including Sportskeeda, ahead of the 2026 Spanish GP, the Mercedes driver suggested he would prefer not to put additional pressure on himself by focusing solely on closing the gap to Kimi Antonelli in the championship.
Antonelli currently leads the drivers’ standings with 156 points, holding a 66-point advantage over Lewis Hamilton and a 68-point lead over Russell. With a quarter of the season completed and three-quarters still remaining, the Italian’s run of five consecutive victories has increased the pressure on the Briton. However, Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff has remained calm about Russell’s situation, comparing it to last season when Oscar Piastri had a strong advantage in the championship standings at a similar stage.
Reminded by Sportskeeda that three-quarters of the season were still to come, Russell admitted the remaining calendar provided some relief. He acknowledged that having more races ahead reduced the pressure and gave him confidence that the championship situation could still change. However, he emphasised that some of his strongest performances came when he was not chasing a specific target or carrying the weight of championship expectations.
Coming off the back of two difficult weekends, Russell has failed to score points in both Canada and Monaco. One race ended with a power unit failure, while the other was compromised by pit-stop issues and penalties. His 12th-place finish in Monaco was particularly disappointing at a circuit where he believed a podium opportunity was possible.
The Mercedes driver feels his strongest performances against the likes of Lewis Hamilton in 2022 and 2025 came when he was under less championship pressure, allowing him to focus purely on extracting the maximum from the car.
Asked by Sportskeeda if the three-quarters of a calendar remaining was motivating for his championship hopes and to turn around his fortunes, George Russell said:
“Yeah, absolutely. It’s so, so far to go, but I’m not getting caught up, let’s say, chasing it. I want to chase the dream. I want it just to sort of come towards me and they all come towards me if I just take you, race by race. And that’s why I say the pressure feels off at the moment. And, you know, I wasn’t chasing a championship last year because that was just not even a possibility for us, with the performance of the car. Yet, it was probably the strongest performing year of my formula season, 2022 against Lewis was probably my second strongest year of performance. And as I said, the thing I had in common with those years is I just, I had the confidence. I was driving my instinct. I wasn’t overthinking things too much and the results came.”
Acknowledging the number of races left on the calendar, George Russell added:
“I didn’t even realise we were only a quarter of the way through the season. I had a really nice message from Susie on Sunday night, whose was very to the point. Just a reminder, ‘mate we’re only 27 or 23% of the way through the season’. And I had to check the math because I didn’t, I trust it, but yeah, it’s crazy. It was so long to go. So much is going to happen. It doesn’t mean that I’m going to be on the top 7 of the podium this weekend and everything is back to normal. But so much can happen and, um, yeah, let’s see.”
George Russell claims to be surrounded by supportive people who are helping him through the performance slump
George Russell claims he has a strong support network around him, including Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff. He suggested that he has received significant backing during a difficult spell from those within his inner circle. The British driver added that his relationship with Wolff is stronger than ever, particularly in light of recent setbacks. He also revealed that he has been in contact with a former F1 driver who has offered support during this period. The Mercedes driver believes that only a select few who have experienced similar situations can fully understand the complexities of what he is currently going through.
Asked if he was in touch or had reached out to anyone for support during his setback period, George Russell said:
“Yeah, I’ve got a really good group of people around me who I trust and support in. Toto’s been exceptionally supportive during this time and, you know, I don’t think our relationship has ever been closer, to be honest. And there’s a driver from the past who I have sort of kept in touch with because I think it’s unless you’ve been in the position yourself, even in different sports, you have different quirks. But as I said, sometimes you’ve got to trust in yourself and for me, the battle is with myself. And, yeah, just excited now for these three races, back to some traditional tracks, and we’ll see how things pan out.”
George Russell is currently 68 points behind Kimi Antonelli and two points behind Lewis Hamilton, having dropped to third in the drivers’ championship. He has secured just one victory so far this season, which came at the opening round in Australia. In contrast, Mercedes lead the constructors’ championship with a total of 244 points, 79 points clear of Ferrari in second and 126 points ahead of McLaren. Red Bull Racing sit fourth, 172 points behind the Silver Arrows. Given the strength of both their car and power unit, Mercedes are expected to extend their advantage in the coming races.
For Russell, turning his form around in the next few rounds will be crucial before the gap in the standings widens further. He also admitted after the Monaco GP that he had struggled to adapt naturally to the new regulations, a factor that has fuelled doubts over his ability to mount a sustained challenge. However, with a long season still ahead, the situation may not be as difficult to reverse as it currently appears.
Edited by Charanjot Singh Kohli
