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'Tough to take': F1 star reflects on run of bad luck
Scott Hunt • October 9th, 2026 7:19 am
Mercedes driver George Russell is hoping for a change of luck at the Singapore Grand Prix | Photo: AP
George Russell believes misfortune has prevented him from being able to put Formula One champion-in-waiting Kimi Antonelli under significant title pressure.
Russell's devastating late engine failure in Malaysia last weekend leaves him 84 points behind his soaraway Mercedes teammate with only seven scheduled races, and a possible 183 points, remaining.
It means the 20-year-old Italian is almost certain to lift his maiden world championship after Russell was again undone by reliability issues.
He also retired from the Canadian Grand Prix in May and has been beset by ill-fortune throughout the season.
Mercedes driver Kimi Antonelli is dominating the F1 championship race | Photo: AP
To compound Russell's problems, he has had to take a new power unit this weekend and so will start at the rear of the grid.
He also confirmed he is set to need another power unit before the end of the season – which will incur another penalty.
The 28-year-old again confessed that Antonelli, who passed his Mercedes teammate on track in Malaysia, has demonstrated superior performances throughout the season but believes in normal circumstances he would still be in the fight.
"The guy who's performed the best is the guy who's leading the championship," Russell said ahead of the Singapore Grand Prix.
"If you add up the numbers and the points, I still think I'd be very much in the game in an ordinary season. I still think I'd be on the back foot, but in the game for it to flip very quick.
"When you add up the points from this season that have been lost, I've probably had more failures this year than I've had in the three seasons put together.
"Of course, it's tough to take. If I'm being 100 per cent fair with myself, the performance this season hasn't been strong enough.
"It's been pretty incredible how things have panned out this year."
Russell will switch back to the car he drove to win the Azerbaijan Grand Prix a fortnight ago while Antonelli will run Mercedes' Malaysia upgrade – after a weekend which boss Toto Wolff labelled their "worst" of the season.
