Russell says the way his F1 season unravelled was tough to deal with

Mercedes driver George Russell has said the way his season "unravelled", and his team-mate Kimi Antonelli's march to the title, have been tough to deal with. That is how BBC Sport describes his comments.

Antonelli champion after the Mexican GP

Andrea Kimi Antonelli secured the world championship on Sunday 1 November 2026 by finishing third in the Mexican Grand Prix. According to the Polish site SportoweFakty WP, he is 20 and the youngest champion in F1 history. After nineteen rounds of the 2026 season he has 380 points.

Max Verstappen won the race at the Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez. Lewis Hamilton (Ferrari) was second.

A difficult weekend for Russell

Russell started from the front row, but a problem with the car's start system before the first corner dropped him down the field. He later received a 10-second penalty for a collision with Isack Hadjar on the first lap. He finished sixth and scored eight points.

In the drivers' standings he fell to fourth on 250 points. He is 11 points behind second-placed Verstappen (261), while Hamilton is third on 259.

Absence from the media zone

After the race Russell did not appear in the television interview zone, which is a requirement for drivers. The FIA had not granted permission for his absence, and the stewards opened an investigation into the driver and the team. Mercedes was fined €5,000. The team did not explain the reasons for the driver's behaviour. According to SportoweFakty WP, Russell left Mexico straight after the race and did not take part in Antonelli's title celebrations.

In a statement described by that site, Russell congratulated the Italian and wrote that he deserved the title. He also thanked the team in Brackley and stressed that Mercedes' return to the front is the result of joint work after four difficult years. However, the statement does not explain why he did not speak to journalists.

What's next

Four rounds remain this season: São Paulo, Las Vegas, Qatar and Abu Dhabi. The title is settled, but the battle for second place continues. Verstappen leads Hamilton by just two points. Mercedes leads the constructors' standings on 630 points, ahead of Ferrari on 504.