George Russell has celebrated Mercedes winning the 2026 Formula 1 constructors’ championship at the Brazilian Grand Prix, insisting that the achievement belongs to the entire team after four difficult years of rebuilding. Although the British driver missed out on a potential victory at Interlagos, he left São Paulo encouraged by his own performance and proud of the collective effort that brought Mercedes back to the top of F1.
The weekend had initially offered George Russell the possibility of an even greater personal result, particularly during qualifying, when pole position appeared within reach. However, the significance of Mercedes’ championship triumph ultimately overshadowed the disappointment of not converting that opportunity into a race victory, completing a recovery process that began in 2022.
George Russell encouraged by Brazilian GP performance despite missed victory
The Brazilian Grand Prix was far from straightforward for George Russell. Changing conditions, strategic decisions and constantly evolving race situations created several opportunities to fight for important positions, particularly during the opening stages when the Mercedes driver demonstrated impressive pace.
“Today was quite an eventful race. At times we had really good pace, especially on the soft tyres, and that was a big positive for me. I made a mistake coming out of the pits, perhaps taking too much of a risk; I saw an opportunity to fight for the win and wanted to take it. Ultimately, I don’t think it affected our final position too much.”
Although George Russell was pleased with his speed during the first part of the race, the closing stages proved more difficult. Mercedes struggled to maintain the same level of performance on intermediate tyres, leaving the team with additional questions to investigate over the coming weeks.
“Towards the end, we struggled more on the intermediate tyres, so there are definitely some things we need to understand, but overall I leave this weekend encouraged by my performance. I’ve worked hard to get back to that level consistently, and here I felt much more like myself.”
For George Russell, the encouraging aspect was not simply his race pace but the feeling he experienced throughout the weekend. Having struggled to reproduce his best performances consistently in recent months, the British driver considered his improved confidence and connection with the car particularly important.
His comments also follow a period in which Toto Wolff addressed George Russell’s difficulties compared with Andrea Kimi Antonelli, highlighting the challenges the Mercedes driver has faced during the 2026 season.
George Russell celebrates Mercedes’ 2026 F1 constructors’ championship
While the Brazilian Grand Prix provided Mercedes with further technical lessons, the team’s greatest achievement at Interlagos was securing the Formula 1 constructors’ championship. The points collected during the weekend confirmed Mercedes’ return to the top, giving George Russell an opportunity to celebrate a success that extended far beyond his individual race result.
“But above all, we achieved the objective we came here for and won the constructors’ championship. We would have liked to do it with a bit more style today, but it’s an incredible achievement for everyone in the team.”
For the British driver, the title carries particular emotional significance because it represents the culmination of a journey that began several years earlier. Since joining Mercedes in 2022, George Russell has experienced the team’s difficulties first-hand and witnessed the extensive work required to restore its competitiveness.
“We’ve been through four difficult years and the entire organisation has worked incredibly hard to bring us back to this position. When I joined Mercedes in 2022, we hoped we could fight regularly for championships, so having gone through that journey and now being back at the top is something we should all be incredibly proud of.”
Mercedes’ championship success also reflects the wider progress made throughout the season, including Andrea Kimi Antonelli’s crucial victory at the United States Grand Prix, which strengthened the team’s position during the closing stages of the campaign.
Why Mercedes’ championship means more than individual results
Reflecting on the team’s return to championship glory, George Russell emphasised an aspect of Formula 1 that can sometimes be overlooked. While drivers receive much of the public attention, winning a constructors’ championship depends on the combined contributions of everyone working within an organisation.
“Winning the constructors’ world championship is always the ultimate recognition of a team’s collective effort. This sport isn’t just about the two drivers who take to the track every weekend, but also the thousands of decisions made back at the factories and the determination of every person who contributes to the team’s performance.”
His words underline why the success at Interlagos means so much to Mercedes. The championship represents years of development, difficult decisions and sustained commitment from the people responsible for returning the team to the front of Formula 1.
For George Russell, the Brazilian Grand Prix will therefore be remembered not as the race in which he narrowly missed an individual victory, but as the weekend Mercedes completed its journey back to the top. Having accompanied the team through all four difficult seasons, the British driver believes the value of that collective achievement extends far beyond any personal finishing position.
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