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Tag: 2026 F1 Championship
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George Russell’s Telling Admission After Monza F1 Defeat to Kimi Antonelli
Russell Concedes 2026 Title Hopes But Finds Performance Answers as Antonelli Extends Lead
George Russell has effectively conceded his chances of winning the 2026 Formula 1 World Championship, though the Mercedes driver insists he has identified the reasons behind his difficult campaign relative to team-mate Kimi Antonelli.
The Briton trails the championship-leading Antonelli by 66 points with ten rounds remaining, a significant deficit for a driver who entered the new regulatory era as the pre-season title favourite. Russell’s struggles have been particularly pronounced during Antonelli’s five-race winning streak earlier in the season.
Driving Style Mismatch Identified
Speaking in Monaco amid his team-mate’s dominant run, Russell suggested his naturally smoother driving style is less suited to the 2026 machinery than Antonelli’s more aggressive approach. The 28-year-old has spent much of the season adapting his technique, showing signs of progress since the summer break by outqualifying the 20-year-old in the last three sessions. However, race pace remains a deficit.
That gap was starkly illustrated at Monza last weekend, where Antonelli produced a sensational drive from 19th on the grid — following an engine-change penalty — to overtake Russell, who started second, and claim victory. The result left the Italian rookie with one hand firmly on his maiden title.
Russell: “I Do Have an Answer”
Asked ahead of this weekend’s Madrid Grand Prix if he could explain Antonelli’s superior speed, Russell was candid about his self-analysis.
“I do have an answer and I’m working on it.
“I think it’s been much improved. So I’m very pleased with that sort of step I’ve taken because fundamentally changing the driving style, I think, is achievable for a lot of drivers.
“But then actually being fast with it is another topic and I feel my performance since the summer break has been, you know, I’ve qualified ahead of him in the three qualifying sessions.
“My race pace has been on a par with him in these two races and I couldn’t say that pre-break. So, as I said, I’m definitely very pleased with that progression. We’ll have to see where the rest of the season takes us.”
Title Realism Sets In
Despite the recent qualifying gains, Russell acknowledges the championship picture is bleak. The situation represents a dramatic reversal from 2025, when Russell arguably enjoyed his best season yet, maximising the W16 to finish fourth while Antonelli endured an up-and-down rookie campaign in seventh.
“I definitely need some luck and I need some good performances,” added Russell. “It’s not really something I’m thinking about because, as I said, right now he’s performing better than me.
“So he deserves to be leading the championship. There’s still a long way to go, but he’s yet to have a bad weekend in terms of performance. So he’s performing exceptionally well.
“My performances are better, but if I want to win this championship, I’m going to need some luck on the way.
“But it’s not something I’m focused on. I’m focused on driving faster and just finding more performance.”
Antonelli Refuses Championship Mindset
For his part, Antonelli insists he is not thinking about the title either. The Italian views his Monza comeback — charging from the back to win — as proof that a championship-focused mindset would be detrimental.
“I don’t even know how many races are left. Eight? Ten, so still a long way to go,” said Antonelli.
“I don’t really want to drive thinking about the championship. Monza was proof that I wasn’t driving, thinking about or worrying about the championship, I was just driving to win, to do my best and that’s the mindset.
“Of course, there might be an occasion in the future where, before taking a certain decision, I might think about the championship.
“But the thing I want to avoid is driving, going on track for a free practice or a qualifying or even a race, thinking about or worrying about the championship. That’s the thing I want to avoid at all costs!”
With ten races remaining, the mathematical possibility of a Russell fightback exists, but both drivers appear aligned in their focus: extracting maximum performance each weekend rather than calculating championship permutations.
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Lando Norris’s 2026 F1 Title Hopes Face Crucial Monza Test, Says James Hinchcliffe
Former IndyCar Series driver and F1 TV analyst James Hinchcliffe believes McLaren’s performance at Monza will determine whether Lando Norris can mount a realistic challenge for the 2026 Formula 1 championship.
Norris heads to the Italian Grand Prix after consecutive victories at the Hungarian and Dutch Grands Prix. Those wins, combined with a third-place finish in the Dutch sprint race, have reduced his championship deficit to 83 points.
McLaren’s Monza pace could define Norris’ title hopes
However, Hinchcliffe has cautioned that McLaren’s recent success came at high-downforce circuits. He believes Monza, with its long straights and low-downforce demands, will provide a crucial test of the team’s competitiveness.
Speaking on the F1 Nation podcast, Hinchcliffe said:
“We’ve had two sort of similar tracks back-to-back. I really think Monza is going to answer some questions. I think the level of competitiveness we see out of McLaren at Monza is going to really set the table for whether or not they, and Lando specifically, have a shot at this championship,” Hinchcliffe explained.
Former F1 driver Jolyon Palmer, who joined Hinchcliffe and host Tom Clarkson on the podcast, added:
“Lando at his worst was 101 points [behind] this year. I actually think he’s driving unbelievably well. He’s in the frame for driver of the season, him and Kimi, for me, have been the two standouts.
“But he’s still 83 points back. I think Hinch is bang on; I think when you look at the last races – Budapest, Zandvoort – they’re both high-downforce. They are both, if you gave me a list to say who these tracks would suit driver-wise, I’d put Lando’s name right next to both of them.
“He has a great track record there, McLaren has got a great track record at both, and he’s delivered absolutely brilliant wins, but can they do it at Monza? That’s where I’m not sure.”
Norris is currently fourth in the drivers’ championship with 159 points. Mercedes driver Kimi Antonelli leads the standings on 242 points, while George Russell and Lewis Hamilton are tied on 183 points.
The Italian Grand Prix is scheduled to take place at Monza from 4-6 September.
Source: www.motorsport.com
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Guenther Steiner Says Mercedes Has Clarified George Russell’s Support Role
Former Haas Formula 1 team principal Guenther Steiner believes Mercedes has told George Russell to support Kimi Antonelli’s 2026 championship campaign.
Russell arrived at the season-opening Australian Grand Prix as the clear favourite for the 2026 drivers’ title. However, his Mercedes team-mate became the youngest driver to lead the standings after consecutive victories at the Chinese and Japanese Grands Prix.
During the first half of the season, Russell won two Grands Prix while Antonelli claimed six victories. The Italian currently leads the championship with 242 points, while Russell sits second on 183 points, level with Lewis Hamilton.
Mercedes team orders raise questions over Russell and Antonelli
Russell was asked to let Antonelli past during the Dutch Grand Prix, reigniting questions about Mercedes’ internal dynamics. Team principal Toto Wolff said the instruction was not related to the championship.
Russell briefly questioned the order over team radio before allowing his team-mate through. He finished third behind race winner Lando Norris and Antonelli, later telling the media that the decision was correct because Antonelli would probably have overtaken him anyway on fresher tyres.
Andrea Kimi Antonelli, Mercedes, George Russell, Mercedes Photo by: Simon Galloway / LAT Images via Getty Images
Speaking on The Red Flags Podcast, Steiner suggested that Mercedes must have held a clear discussion during the summer break to define its new rules of engagement. The team and its drivers have not confirmed that such a conversation took place.
“I wouldn’t say they told him, ‘You’re the number two driver.’ They told him, ‘You are now here to support Kimi.’ I wouldn’t call him the number two driver, but, ‘If needed, you need to support Kimi to win the world championship. This is your mission for this season.’ No, I think that happened,” Steiner explained.
Steiner argued that supporting Antonelli would be necessary if Mercedes wants to secure the drivers’ championship, warning that failing to establish clear priorities could leave the team vulnerable late in the season.
“If you want to win, this is what you have to do. Otherwise, you take the risk as McLaren did last year, then get down to the last race to lose that world championship, not to win it, to lose it.”
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Kimi Antonelli Reveals Special Mercedes Gesture After Maiden F1 Victory
Kimi Antonelli Keeps Original Trophy From Maiden F1 Victory
Mercedes driver Kimi Antonelli has revealed that the team allowed him to keep the original trophy from his first Formula 1 victory.
Speaking to GQ Magazine for a feature titled 10 Things F1 Driver Kimi Antonelli Can’t Live Without, the Italian showed the trophy he received on the podium after his breakthrough victory at the 2026 Chinese Grand Prix.
Mercedes Made an Exception for Antonelli’s First Win
Formula 1 teams typically retain the original trophies won by their drivers, displaying them at the factory while giving the drivers high-quality replicas. However, Mercedes made an exception for Antonelli to commemorate his first career victory.
“This is the trophy of my first victory in China, and this is a moment I’ll never forget,” Antonelli explained.
“The first victory is always incredible. It has an enormous meaning, and it also marks my first win in the top division. This trophy is the original, the one I lifted on the podium.
“Usually, the originals go to the teams, while we keep the replicas. However, since it was my first win, the team let me have it, especially since you only get one first time. This, obviously, was placed in my trophy case.
Andrea Kimi Antonelli, Mercedes. Photo by: Sam Bagnall / Sutton Images via Getty Images Antonelli started the Chinese Grand Prix from pole position and said he recognised his opportunity to claim a strong result as the race approached its conclusion.
“Starting from pole position, I knew I had a good chance of being able to get a good result. Obviously, I knew it would be very difficult, but when there were about fifteen laps to go, I knew I was close to the finish line and that I could do it.
“It took a long time to realise in that moment what had happened. But it was a truly indescribable moment.”
Antonelli Leads the 2026 F1 Drivers’ Championship
Antonelli went on to secure five more Grand Prix victories during the first half of the 2026 Formula 1 season. He currently leads the drivers’ championship by 59 points over George Russell and Lewis Hamilton, who are level on points.
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How Lando Norris Has Improved Since Winning His F1 Title, According to McLaren
McLaren’s Formula 1 title defence looked increasingly unlikely just over a month ago. Ahead of the Hungarian Grand Prix, Mercedes driver Kimi Antonelli led the 2026 championship with 204 points, while McLaren’s Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri had scored 103 and 92 respectively.
McLaren then introduced a major upgrade package at the Hungaroring, targeting the front and rear corner bodywork and adding a new floor and rear wing. The impact was immediate. Norris converted pole position into victory in Hungary before winning again at Zandvoort, where he passed Antonelli around the outside at Turn 1. The reigning champion is now 83 points behind the championship leader.
Although the results suggest McLaren’s upgrades transformed its performance, team principal Andrea Stella believes Norris is also extracting the maximum from the MCL40—and may even be outperforming the car.
“Lando is driving and operating at a very high level, in absolute sense, in relation to a Formula 1 world champion,” Stella commented following the Dutch Grand Prix. “He’s driving at the level of a world champion.
“And like I always say for Lando, what I like the most of his journey in Formula 1 is that he keeps improving. And especially after the start of the 2025 season, something clicked, which is not only a single click, but is a way of working with Lando, for Lando, and that we are adopting also on Oscar’s side now in particular. And this approach has led Lando to continuous improvements.
“So it’s almost like I see Lando stronger and stronger race by race. Because this weekend was nowhere near a weekend in which we could fight for the victory for granted, especially after having seen the performance in the sprint.
“But we invested in trying to understand where was the opportunity from a tyre exploitation point of view, and car improvement. Actually, both drivers improved from this point of view, but unfortunately a question mark remains as to the behaviour of the second stint of Oscar.
“So there’s overall a positive trajectory for both, but at the moment Lando is capable of maximising the performance in qualifying trim. If we think the start of 2025, this had become a bit of a concern that he overcame. And then, when you have conditions in which the car slides in the race, there’s not much grip, he is the master in this kind of conditions.”
Norris has gained the edge in qualifying
Qualifying performance has become a key indicator of Norris’ recent advantage over his McLaren team-mate.
Throughout the 2025 season, Norris and Piastri were evenly matched over one lap, sharing a 15-15 qualifying head-to-head record when sprint qualifying sessions are included.
After Formula 1 introduced new machinery in 2026, Norris initially trailed Piastri 3-1 before the unexpected April break. Since then, however, the reigning champion has dominated the comparison, beating Piastri 12-1. Piastri’s only qualifying victory in that period came in Monaco.
The average gap remains relatively small at 0.128 seconds, but it has consistently favoured Norris as Piastri continues to search for his best form.
Stella believes Norris’ improved mindset, rather than technical gains alone, has helped him develop more effective racecraft.
“If you want to look at Lando from another angle, I would say that definitely he is now expressing a higher level of assertiveness as he drives,” the Italian pointed out. “You know, the manoeuvre to pass Antonelli today is a really good demonstration of that. He’s demonstrating more self-confidence.
“This is interesting, and I quite like it – the self-confidence sometimes is not demonstrated by being the most aggressive. Sometimes you are self-confident when you think like, ‘You know what? I’m not going to have a fight now because I may lose in this fight. It’s a very long race. See you at the end of the race.’
“It’s this confidence in your means, in your strength, that I quite like. Which means that sometimes you are actually the one backing off when the situation becomes too risky.
“We need to remember that in the last couple of races that he won, he didn’t defend the pole position. He was actually second at the end of the first lap. But I did not hear or perceive any decay in his confidence, as to the fact that he was fast and he was just preparing his opportunity to then cash in on his competitiveness. So I think assertiveness and confidence are probably the two characteristics that he has improved the most from a non-technical, non-operational point of view.”
Source: www.motorsport.com
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Netflix Renews “Formula 1: Drive to Survive” for Season 9
Netflix Confirms Formula 1: Drive to Survive Season 9 for 2026 Championship
Netflix has officially announced that its hit behind-the-scenes docuseries Formula 1: Drive to Survive will return for a ninth season, documenting the ongoing 2026 Formula 1 World Championship. Since its debut on the streaming platform in 2019, the series has provided viewers with unprecedented paddock access and a window into the drivers’ lives away from the circuit.
Producers Promise Deeper Access in New Season
Box to Box Films, the production company behind the show, expressed enthusiasm about the upcoming installment. Executive producers James Gay-Rees and Paul Martin said in a joint statement:
“We’re so excited to be making Season 9 of this iconic show,” James Gay-Rees and Paul Martin, executive producers at Box to Box, which produces the show, said. “This year we’re going to go deeper than ever before into the hidden spaces of this fantastic sport.”
Series Credited with Transforming F1’s Global Audience
While the docuseries has faced criticism for its creative editing—often compared to reality television dramatics—its impact on the sport’s popularity is undeniable. Drive to Survive has been instrumental in expanding Formula 1’s fanbase in the United States and attracting a younger, more gender-diverse audience.
Reflecting on that impact during a 2023 interview with F1.com, Gay-Rees said:
“Genuinely, we are enormously proud to be a part of it. There’s also a lot of satisfaction at being first with these things, and I think that it kind of does feel like the first main access show – certainly out of the UK anyway – that has had this profound effect.
He continued:
“We’ve all had the statistics about the changing, younger demographic, and it’s tough out there for anybody, for any big organisation, to hold its ground given the amount of choices that are out there for the consumer. Bringing such a big new audience to a sport – which obviously was deserved, it just needed somebody to open it up – is massively satisfying.
Gay-Rees added:
“The fact that it wasn’t a fluke, the fact that it’s grown [with every season]… It’s a real honour and we love it. It’s a very difficult show to make, but we love the process, we love the world. Long may it continue!”
Season 9 to Focus on 2026 Regulation Era
The ninth season will centre on the 2026 F1 season, which introduces sweeping new technical regulations including revised power-unit rules and active aerodynamics. The new campaign is expected to premiere on Netflix in 2027.
Fan Reaction Builds Anticipation
Following the announcement on the official Netflix UK Instagram account, fans shared their excitement. One commenter wrote:
“The Aston Martin episode will be Absolute Television,”
while another posted:“Looking forward to the DTS marathon,”
and a third added:“OK I can’t wait for DTS. I actually like it.”