The Mercedes driver claimed victory in Australia before seeing Andrea Kimi Antonelli steal the spotlight. Now, he openly admits his weaknesses: starts, safety car restarts and race management are the key areas to fix. Miami will be a decisive test.
The 2026 Formula 1 season began under the banner of George Russell, with a victory in Australia, a pole position, and a race pace that suggested he could be a genuine title contender. That remains the case, to be clear. However, something has not quite clicked since then.
Andrea Kimi Antonelli responded with back-to-back victories in China and Japan, overtaking the British driver in the standings. Mercedes continues to look dominant overall, but internally the balance of power has become more complex, or at least different from what many initially expected.
The driver from King’s Lynn has not hidden from the situation. With a level of clarity that is not always common in this sport, he has openly identified his weaknesses and shared them with the media. No excuses, no justifications—just a cold and honest analysis of what has not worked.
Starts and safety cars: the Achilles’ heel
Three pole positions. Zero races led into Turn 1. George Russell’s paradox in the opening phase of the season can be summed up in these two numbers. Having the pace to qualify at the front and then losing positions within the first few metres is not just a technical issue, but also a mental and procedural one.
At Suzuka, the script was particularly harsh: George Russell was overtaken by Lewis Hamilton at the restart following the safety car, and then lost a crucial battle with Charles Leclerc, ultimately compromising his race beyond recovery.
These were procedural mistakes, as he himself admitted, and in a championship as competitive as this one, such errors come at a very high cost.
“I made some procedural mistakes that led to me being overtaken by Lewis in Japan. If I fix these things, we will be in a very different situation.”
A clear diagnosis, but the cure is still incomplete
The Formula 1 circus now heads to Miami, a circuit where, in 2025, Antonelli delivered one of his most impressive weekends as a rookie. Could that represent a psychological challenge for Russell? His answer has been clear: no. And not out of arrogance, but through a methodical mindset.
Russell approaches the championship with a long-term perspective rather than focusing on individual races. Consistency in difficult moments, attacking when conditions allow, and above all the ability to avoid being dragged into direct comparisons with his team-mate define his approach.
It is a mature, almost detached mentality, reminiscent of that seen in the sport’s greatest champions.
“A championship is won over the entire season,” he stated with conviction. “No one remembers what happens race by race.”
He also made it clear that he is not thinking about Antonelli, nor about the standings. His focus remains entirely on himself. It is the mindset of a driver who has found his own identity and has no intention of losing it by chasing external pressure.
However, one key question remains. Those weaknesses in starts and restarts are not minor details. With Antonelli improving rapidly and Mercedes appearing to have a car capable of winning at any circuit, every mistake risks turning into a gap that is difficult to recover.
George Russell knows exactly where he needs to improve. The question now is whether Miami will mark the moment when he truly begins to do so. Only time will tell.
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