News Summary
- George Russell published an emotional message after missing his post-race media duties in Mexico, admitting that 2026 had been the most difficult season of his Formula 1 career.
- The Mercedes driver acknowledged poor performances, bad luck and repeated struggles to recover, saying the championship-winning season had not gone as he had hoped.
- Russell congratulated Andrea Kimi Antonelli on his first world title, praised Mercedes for producing the best car and power unit and promised to fight back in 2027.
George Russell has broken his silence with an emotional statement following the 2026 Mexico City Grand Prix, admitting that he has experienced more bad days than good for the first time in his Formula 1 career. The Mercedes driver published the message on social media on Monday (November 2), a day after teammate Andrea Kimi Antonelli secured the Drivers’ World Championship and Russell left the circuit without completing his post-race media duties.
Russell, who finished sixth in Mexico, acknowledged that his season had unravelled through a combination of disappointing performances and bad luck, while congratulating Antonelli and thanking Mercedes for providing a championship-winning car.
Russell admits 2026 has been his toughest F1 season
Russell began his statement by explaining that he felt the time had come to speak openly about his difficult campaign.
“Now feels like a pretty suitable moment to speak from the heart,” he wrote on Instagram.
The British driver admitted that the season had initially developed exactly as he hoped before his championship challenge deteriorated.
“This season started off exactly how I had hoped but it very quickly unravelled with tough luck and poor performances,” Russell explained.
He described the experience as particularly difficult because he had never previously endured such an extended period of disappointing results.
“It’s been the first proper season of my career where I’ve had more bad days than good,” he admitted.
Russell also acknowledged the psychological challenge of trying to recover from repeated setbacks.
He questioned how difficult it had been to motivate himself each weekend and admitted that confusion had sometimes accompanied the fluctuations in his performance.
Despite those difficulties, Russell insisted that he had given everything throughout the championship.
“All I know is that I’ve given it my all and 2026 was not meant to be my year,” he wrote.
Wolff explains why Russell skipped Mexican GP interviews
Russell’s statement followed an emotional Sunday at the Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez.
The Mercedes driver started second on the grid, alongside pole-sitter Lewis Hamilton, but suffered a problem with the electrical energy deployment from his power unit on the opening straight.
The issue cost him several positions and compromised his race before he eventually finished sixth.
Russell also received a ten-second penalty for a collision with Isack Hadjar.
Meanwhile, Antonelli finished third behind Max Verstappen and Hamilton, securing the championship with four rounds remaining.
Russell congratulated his teammate in person after the race but did not participate in the mandatory post-race media activities.
Mercedes excused him from those duties, resulting in a €5,000 fine from the FIA.
Team principal Toto Wolff subsequently explained that Russell had been deeply affected by the outcome.
Wolff described the situation as an extremely difficult moment for a driver who had entered the season with genuine championship ambitions.
He also praised Russell for approaching Antonelli to congratulate him despite his disappointment.
Russell congratulates Antonelli and praises Mercedes
Russell’s message contained no criticism of Antonelli.
Instead, the British driver recognised his teammate’s outstanding campaign and the achievement of becoming Formula 1’s youngest world champion.
“I want to sincerely congratulate Kimi on what has been an absolutely incredible season,” Russell wrote.
“You truly deserve the Championship.”
Antonelli secured the title at 20 years old, breaking Sebastian Vettel’s record from 2010 and ending Italy’s 73-year wait for a Formula 1 Drivers’ World Championship.
The Italian finished third in Mexico to become the youngest champion in F1 history.
Russell also paid tribute to Mercedes’ engineers and employees, recognising the work involved in returning the team to championship-winning form.
He thanked the organisation for producing what he described as the best car and power unit of the season.
The British driver highlighted the four years of effort behind Mercedes’ return to the front following the difficulties experienced under the previous technical regulations.
His recognition of the team’s machinery is significant because Russell’s campaign has been marked by inconsistency, despite several outstanding performances.
Russell promises to fight back in 2027
Although the championship is no longer within reach, Russell insisted that he remains determined to rediscover his strongest form.
The Mercedes driver said he would continue working throughout the remaining races of 2026 and into the following season.
His objective is to reproduce the performances that have established him among Formula 1’s leading drivers.
Russell also expressed hope that his fortunes would improve after a campaign affected by repeated setbacks.
The message follows his admission before the Mexican Grand Prix that Antonelli had simply performed at a higher level during the season.
The latest championship standings after Mexico place Russell fourth, behind Antonelli, Verstappen and Hamilton.
The next scheduled race is the São Paulo Grand Prix on November 8, where Russell will have another opportunity to help Mercedes secure the Constructors’ Championship.
His social media statement makes clear that the disappointment of 2026 has not diminished his determination to compete at the front again.
GRANDE PRÊMIO is following the 2026 Formula 1 World Championship, with breaking news, full coverage and real-time updates in its Formula 1 section.
