George Russell is hopeful Mercedes’ long-awaited automobile improve on the Bahrain Grand Prix will additional assist his performances as he bids to construct on his return to successful methods from Azerbaijan final week.
Russell dominated the Baku occasion to not solely safe his first win in seven races but additionally declare the maiden ‘Grand Slam’ of his Method 1 profession, which means he led each lap from pole place and set the quickest lap.
The Briton had been happier along with his performances in Mercedes’ W17 because the August summer season break, but he had nonetheless completed behind title-leading team-mate Kimi Antonelli in every of the earlier three races, with Antonelli extending his championship benefit to 81 factors after victory in Madrid.
However after lowering that deficit by 15 factors final Saturday on a weekend that Antonelli completed solely fifth after crashing in qualifying, Russell is feeling optimistic as he goes searching for the primary back-to-back wins of his F1 profession on the game’s return to Malaysia’s Sepang Worldwide Circuit – a monitor neither of the title contenders have pushed on earlier than.
“As I’ve actually stated this entire season, firstly I by no means actually felt ready to battle for the victories as a result of I did not really feel that the performances have been robust sufficient,” replied Russell when requested if one other win may sow some doubts in Antonelli’s thoughts.
“However now, lastly, I really feel I am in a spot the place I can battle for victory week in week out.
“In fact, there’s a large deficit within the championship however we’re solely two thirds of the best way by. There is a third of the season to go and nonetheless a lot can occur.
“So I am simply going to go race by race. I am having fun with it greater than I’ve carried out just lately, simply because I really feel extra at one with the automobile, and hopefully this new improve with a number of attribute adjustments are additionally going to play into my favour a bit extra. So, convey it on.”
Discussing what had modified for him, Russell stated that “I do not actually really feel misplaced anymore” and that his “confidence is again and rising once more”.
“It is undoubtedly been a aware adjustment of my driving,” he defined.
“I feel I went by a number of races once I was having to suppose the right way to make these adjustment, whereas now it is all a bit extra intuitive and pure.
“What I got down to obtain by way of getting the automobile in a barely higher window, I am now reaching with out having to consider it as a lot, so I can simply concentrate on driving quick.”
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Craig Slater provides his verdict after the Azerbaijan GP, the place George Russell pipped Max Verstappen to victory.
Russell reiterated that each one the strain was on Antonelli within the chase for the Drivers’ Championship over the closing two months of the season.
“For positive there’s lots of strain in his place,” added Russell.
“For any driver preventing to your world championship there’s lots of strain. At this level of the season it’s his to lose so, from my facet, I am simply going to go on the market and luxuriate in each race.”
‘My grandmother went again residence!’ – Antonelli hopes to study from Baku classes
Regardless of ending solely fifth on the final race, Antonelli stays in agency management of the world championship along with his 66-point lead nonetheless the joint-second highest he has held this season.
However the 20-year-old Italian stated that the occasions of final week had taught him some worthwhile classes.
“Final weekend was in all probability the worst weekend from me, from my facet, of the season,” stated Antonelli.
“However nonetheless superb studying from the weekend. It was additionally a really unusual race for me in Baku [from 16th on the grid] as a result of it was a kind of races the place I consciously tried to not take any threat and simply drive beneath the restrict, which was very bizarre but it surely was an excellent and what I wanted. I wanted a clear outcome after a really disrupted weekend.
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Kimi Antonelli hits the wall throughout qualifying on the Azerbaijan GP.
“However after the race I wasn’t pleased with the outcome however I discovered many issues and a very powerful studying is I have to all the time be 100 per cent and I actually do my greatest to realize the very best outcome.
“If I do not attempt to do all the pieces proper in my energy than nothing goes to return my method.”
And having joked that he had pushed like his grandmother, Antonelli quipped on Thursday: “My grandmother went again residence! I booked her a flight and he or she’s again in Italy!”
On Russell, Antonelli added: “He did an unimaginable weekend in Baku and he is received the momentum.
George has been doing nice, particularly final weekend, so it may be a troublesome problem however I am wanting ahead to it.”
What are Mercedes anticipating from Malaysia automobile improve?
Russell and Antonelli’s prospects of successful on Sunday are set to be boosted by the introduction of an improve package deal for the W17, Mercedes’ first important replace because the Canadian Grand Prix in late Could.
“It is a good step,” stated Russell. “We expect it is a good step purely as a result of it has been so lengthy since we final introduced some upgrades.
“It is fairly irregular to have an improve again in Could after which solely once more in October.
“So, as a person improve step it is giant, however in a traditional season it is simply the conventional trajectory you’d count on from a Could to October improve package deal.
“Hoping it may propel us again to the entrance on these kind of circuits, which have been tougher for us up to now six races.”
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Highlights from the 2026 Azerbaijan Grand Prix.
Mercedes have gained the final three races to increase their lead over Ferrari on the prime of the Constructors’ Championship to 160 factors. Nonetheless, two of these tracks – Monza and Baku – performed to the strengths of their engine, whereas Antonelli was lucky to win on the streets of Madrid after a Digital Security Automobile helped him and hindered McLaren’s Lando Norris.
“I feel we’ve a really environment friendly automobile on the circuits which are decrease drag, so in Azerbaijan, Monza we have been very aggressive. Purple Bull have been additionally on the rostrum in Monza in addition to in Azerbaijan,” added Russell.
“I count on Malaysia to be barely extra nearer to the circuits of Madrid, Budapest, Zandvoort, the place we noticed likes of Ferrari and McLaren competing strongly, in order that’s going to be an attention-grabbing one.”
Antonelli can be eager to see how the aerodynamic adjustments will assist the group on a monitor the place medium-high-speed cornering is a vital a part of the lap.
“I feel this weekend is the correct one to convey it,” he stated.
“Our automobile could be very environment friendly. It isn’t draggy, particularly on tracks like Monza, Baku, the place we have been very fast as a result of it is new tarmac, quick corners.
“While I feel in these kind of tracks with out the improve we’d wrestle. For instance, Zandvoort McLaren was very fast and Zandvoort has very open tarmac. So I feel this race was the correct one to convey the upgrades and see if we are able to enhance on these sort of tracks with lengthy corners and really previous tarmac.”
Sky Sports activities F1’s reside schedule Bahrain GP in Malaysia
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Relive the final time a Grand Prix was held in Malaysia in 2017
Friday October 2
5am: Bahrain GP Apply One (session begins at 5.30am)*
7.30am: Workforce Bosses’ Press Convention
8.45am: Bahrain GP Apply Two (session begins at 9am)*
10.15am: The F1 Present*
Saturday October 3
5.15am: Bahrain GP Apply Three (session begins at 5.30am)*
8am: Bahrain GP Qualifying build-up*
9am: BAHRAIN GP QUALIFYING*
Sunday October 4
6.30am: Grand Prix Sunday: Bahrain GP build-up*
8am: THE BAHRAIN GRAND PRIX*
10am: Chequered Flag: Bahrain GP response*
*additionally on Sky Sports activities Major Occasion
Method 1 heads to Malaysia for the primary time since 2017 because it hosts the Bahrain Grand Prix on the Sepang Worldwide Circuit – watch reside protection from Friday morning, reside on Sky Sports activities F1. Stream Sky Sports activities with NOW – no contract, cancel anytime
