George Russell insists this yr’s Method 1 season “will not break me” as Kimi Antonelli is ready to turn out to be world champion this weekend in Mexico.
A prime 9 end for Antonelli, or Russell or Lewis Hamilton failing to win Sunday’s Mexico Metropolis Grand Prix, would safe the title for the Italian, who could be the youngest champion in F1 historical past at 20 years outdated.
Russell got here into 2026 as favorite after dominating Antonelli final yr however has received simply three races to his team-mate’s 9, recurrently being outperformed all through the season.
“I’ve most likely realized extra about myself this yr than I might have appreciated to in all honesty. The highs and lows you undergo in sport are immense. That is as a result of all of us care a lot for what we’re doing,” mentioned Russell.
“I remind myself I am 28 years outdated. I see Lewis nonetheless competing extraordinarily effectively at 41 and Fernando at 44. Lewis received nearly all of his titles in his 30s.
“This yr is totally not going to outline my profession as an entire. It is not going to interrupt me. If something, it is going to make me stronger.”
Russell pointed to an uncommon development the place he is usually bounced again strongly from poor weekends or misfortune, together with an underwhelming race in Madrid the place Antonelli received, earlier than a dominant efficiency on his strategy to pole and victory on the subsequent race in Baku.
“I have been fairly happy with my resilience and the way I’ve bounced again from very robust moments,” he defined.
“Really by my lowest factors of this season, I’ve usually bounced again actually, actually robust then I had one other unhealthy race, after the great one, so possibly it is one thing I have to analyse as effectively as a result of I all the time carry out finest after my worst races, which is possibly only a coincidence, possibly there’s one thing in it.
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George Russell crashes out shortly taking the lead on the Singapore Grand Prix Dash
“I have been racing extra years of my life than I have never. I’ve had extra profitable years than relative failures, and I do not assume any athlete, regardless of how nice, has each single yr of their profession acting at their highest stage.
“Sadly, this yr for me has come at possibly the time once I wanted it most. However it’s on no account the tip of my journey. I’ve nonetheless obtained a great 12 to fifteen years left in me.”
Russell: Antonelli has been at the next stage than me
Antonelli’s title-winning marketing campaign is an enormous shock after his difficult rookie season in 2025 as he has fully turned the tables within the Mercedes head-to-head battle.
Russell completed eighth final outing in Austin whereas Antonelli received and the British driver says “it is necessary to seek out some consistency” and admits his team-mate has been getting extra out of the automotive.
“On a private stage, Kimi is clearly an amazing man with plenty of vitality. We have had no motive this yr to not proceed a great relationship,” he mentioned.
“I believe lots of these rivalries begin due to on-track incidents or actions. The reality is he is been at the next stage than me this yr, so we have probably not been in that scenario too typically.
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Toto Wolff hits again at accusations that Mercedes favour Kimi Antonelli over George Russell
“We have had one or two races, and with regards to the race itself, we type of maintain ourselves to ourselves and work with our particular person engineers to attempt to get probably the most out of it.”
Antonelli missed Thursday’s media day on the Mexico Metropolis Grand Prix as a result of a viral sickness however is predicted to be match sufficient to drive in Friday’s apply periods.
He instructed Sky Sports activities F1 in Austin: “The right means could be to complete off in type and luxuriate in the remainder of the season.
“I am very effectively conscious it’s totally shut however the mindset hasn’t modified. I wish to end the season on a excessive as a way to have excessive hopes in 2027.
“First we focus and fear about ending this [season] effectively and we are going to see.”
Sky Sports activities F1’s reside Mexico Metropolis GP schedule
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Look again at among the most dramatic moments to have taken place on the Mexico Metropolis Grand Prix
Friday October 30
6pm: Mexico Metropolis Grand Prix Follow One (session begins at 6.30pm)*
8pm: The F1 Present
9pm: Crew Bosses’ Press Convention
9.30pm: Mexico Metropolis Grand Prix Follow Two (session begins at 10pm)*
Saturday October 31
5.15pm: Mexico Metropolis Grand Prix Follow Three (session begins at 6.30pm)
8pm: Mexico Metropolis Grand Prix Qualifying build-up
9pm: MEXICO CITY GRAND PRIX QUALIFYING
11pm: Ted’s Qualifying Pocket book
Sunday November 1
5pm: F1 Academy Race 3
6.30pm: Grand Prix Sunday: Mexico Metropolis GP build-up
8pm: THE MEXICO CITY GRAND PRIX*
10pm: Chequered Flag: Mexico Metropolis GP response
11pm: Ted’s Pocket book
*additionally on Sky Sports activities Essential Occasion
Method 1 subsequent heads south for the second leg of The Americas triple-header with the Mexico Metropolis Grand Prix this weekend, reside on Sky Sports activities F1. Stream Sky Sports activities with NOW – no contract, cancel anytime
