George Russell’s tough time at the US GP just got even more confusing with new information coming out.
George Russell had a tough race at the United States Grand Prix, finishing eighth, which looks even worse when you see the new data from his teammate Kimi Antonelli’s car. As many expected, Antonelli easily took the win and almost became the youngest-ever Formula 1 champion in the U.S.
Russell, who got a five-second penalty early on at the Circuit of the Americas, had a rough day. After finishing eighth, he admitted, “the pace was just rubbish today,” while Antonelli drove like a champ ready to make history.
The fresh data from Antonelli’s car shows that Mercedes’ upgrades really helped him, especially with almost no tyre wear during the race. Fans have called the improvements “unlocked.” These upgrades boosted the car’s performance at medium to high speeds, as Mercedes had promised, helping Antonelli race smoothly to victory and get closer to the title for November.
Even though Russell and Antonelli have almost the same car, Russell hasn’t often been able to keep up with his teammate this season, which explains why Antonelli has had better results. Antonelli was racing with a big lead in Austin, which meant he didn’t have to push too hard and could focus on managing his tyres — something he’s great at as he moves toward becoming the 2026 Formula 1 champion.
On the other hand, Russell’s race was more difficult to judge. He spent most of the time behind Oscar Piastri and had the same chance to adapt to the new car updates but didn’t match Antonelli’s performance. It’s still unclear if Russell can prove he’s a championship contender in 2027 and make the most of whichever car Mercedes gives him.
After the race, Russell said, “As long as we win the constructors’ championship, that’s what matters. Of course, I want to be the best of the rest, but second or third place doesn’t make you a champion, so it’s not everything.”
Mercedes team boss Toto Wolff stood by Russell, saying, “George has all the talent. I think the car just doesn’t suit him right now. It’s tough for him, especially at the start of the season when he feels like, ‘This is my year,’ but then you have a young star like Antonelli pushing hard on the other side. I believe if we give George a fast car next season, he has everything he needs to win a championship.”
If you want to see the list of the youngest F1 world champions ever, check out the next story as Antonelli edges closer to an amazing record!