‘This won’t be my last shot’ – Russell on how 2026 has ‘tested my character and resilience’

George Russell has explained how he approached a series of setbacks that “tested my character and resilience” this season, with the Briton conceding that “it’s a matter of when, not if” Kimi Antonelli seals the Drivers’ Championship.

After a superb start to the year, Russell fell behind his Mercedes team mate and watched as Antonelli’s lead gradually increased as an incompatibility with the car and reliability issues affected his own results.

Victories in Austria and Azerbaijan proved his progress, but with other teams overhauling their respective deficits to Mercedes through upgrades, his chance of winning a maiden title has largely slipped out of his hands.

Antonelli’s first opportunity of being crowned champion comes at this weekend’s United States Grand Prix and partly relies on Russell finishing ninth or lower, but the Briton was prepared to admit that he’s “not in the fight”.

“Whether it’s this weekend or next weekend, it’s a matter of when, not if, he clinches it,” he said. “That’s the reality of the fact. For me, it’s been a very unique season.

“I’ve had to look at myself in the mirror numerous times and think, ‘How do I want to bounce back from these blows?’. Do I just want to give up and accept the misfortune or the poor performances, or do I want to try to rectify things, make the most of it and control everything I can control?

“I can at least be proud of myself that I’ve always put up a fight and always done my utmost to keep myself in the fight. I’ve got a great team around me, and this won’t be my last shot when I’ve got a car beneath me that can fight for victory.

“At the end of this weekend, we’ll see what we can do. We’ll try to get Mercedes back on top because it’s been a while, and let’s see what the future holds.”

Russell and Antonelli are both set to continue racing for the Silver Arrows in 2027, giving the Briton confidence that he can learn from the challenges of this season and come back even stronger in the future.

Russell explained: “I wouldn’t necessarily say there’s a lesson as such, but there have been a lot of things I’ve adapted to and improved on through the struggles I’ve had. It’s been a season that has very much tested my character and resilience.

“I guess I’ve learned a lot about myself being in these moments, because I’ve never really found myself in this position in my career before. So I guess I can say those are the lessons I’ll take forward, and they’ll help me over the next 10 or 15 years of my career.

“I don’t really have any major feelings running through my body when I say that we’re no longer in the fight this season, because when I look back earlier in the year, the things that were keeping me up at night weren’t necessarily about the championship.

“It was more that my performance wasn’t where I wanted it to be. It was like, ‘Well, how am I going to get my performance back to the levels I know I’m capable of? What is it I need from the car? What do I need to change in my driving to get back on top of things?’

“And then, obviously, the misfortune just added salt to the wound. But I intend to be here for many, many, many years to come, and you can’t give up when you’re being kicked to the floor. You’ve got to bounce back. I can at least be proud that I’ve given it my all in that regard.”