George Russell breaks silence after Antonelli title — SkimNews
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- George Russell posted his first public comments on Instagram on Monday, 2 November, opening with "Now feels like a pretty suitable moment to speak from the heart" after staying away from the media in Mexico.
- Toto Wolff said Russell was "distraught" in Mexico and went home after congratulating Antonelli on becoming world champion.
- FIA handed Mercedes a €5,000 (£4,173) fine because Russell missed his mandatory post-race media duties.
- George Russell conceded the season "very quickly unravelled" through tough luck and poor performances, adding that it was his first full season with more bad days than good and that "2026 was not meant to be my year" despite starting as the clear title favourite.
- Kimi Antonelli became F1's youngest-ever world champion at 20 with four rounds remaining, taking nine wins to Russell's three.
- Mexico City Grand Prix — a power unit issue left Russell with sub-optimal power from the opening lap, dropping him to fourth in the Drivers' Championship.
- Mercedes can still win the Constructors' Championship at Sunday's Sao Paulo Grand Prix, the final leg of the triple header, with Russell pledging to give "absolute all" for the rest of the season and into the next and crediting the team for bringing Mercedes "back to the top" over four tough years.
Why it matters: Antonelli's title is already sealed, so Mercedes' remaining target is the Constructors' Championship, still live at Sunday's Sao Paulo Grand Prix, while Russell has slipped to fourth in the drivers' standings. His skipped media duties in Mexico also cost the team a €5,000 FIA fine.
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