George Russell heads into Formula 1’s next round at Sepang with the opportunity to build on his victory in Baku and achieve something he has never managed before in his career: winning two Grands Prix in succession. Speaking during Sky Sport F1’s post-race coverage, Roberto Chinchero highlighted that unusual statistic while explaining why the upcoming weekend in Malaysia could produce a particularly unpredictable contest.
The Azerbaijan result has given George Russell the chance to carry his winning momentum directly into the next race. The challenge, however, will be very different at Sepang, where Formula 1 returns to a circuit that only a small number of the current drivers have previously raced on.
George Russell has never won consecutive F1 races
Despite George Russell’s Grand Prix victories during his Formula 1 career, Roberto Chinchero pointed out that the Mercedes driver has never followed one win immediately with another.
“George Russell has never managed to win two Grands Prix in a row. In Malaysia, however, only four or five of the current drivers have raced there before, and that makes the weekend particularly interesting,” Roberto Chinchero explained.
The relative lack of recent experience at Sepang could become an important factor throughout the weekend. Unlike circuits that appear on the calendar every season, most of the current grid will effectively have to rediscover the Malaysian venue and adapt to its characteristics during the practice sessions.
Sepang could create an unpredictable Formula 1 weekend
Roberto Chinchero believes that limited experience among the current Formula 1 field could make the next race much less predictable than usual.
“For almost everyone it will be a track to discover and it could create a truly unpredictable scenario. In addition, the circuit is very beautiful,” Roberto Chinchero added.
That uncertainty adds another dimension to George Russell’s attempt to follow up his Baku result. The Mercedes driver has already been one of the central figures of the 2026 season, with the performance of the Mercedes W17 providing important context for the team’s competitiveness this year.
Sepang now presents a different test. For George Russell, the weekend offers the possibility of turning his Azerbaijan victory into the first back-to-back Grand Prix wins of his Formula 1 career. For most of the grid, meanwhile, the lack of recent experience at the Malaysian circuit could make preparation and adaptation particularly important.
The unusual venue also stands out on the revised 2026 Formula 1 calendar, with Sepang returning to host Formula 1 competition after a long absence from the championship schedule.
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