Mercedes considers push for George Russell to be F1 2026 runner-up
Following the Brazilian Grand Prix, Mercedes is evaluating whether to throw its full support behind George Russell to secure the runner-up position in the 2026 Formula 1 drivers' championship. Mercedes recently sealed its ninth constructors' title at Interlagos, while Russell's teammate Andrea Kimi Antonelli clinched his maiden world championship in Mexico. Team principal Toto Wolff indicated the squad may dedicate "all the force" across the season's final three rounds—assuming races in Qatar and Abu Dhabi proceed as scheduled—to achieve a 1-2 championship finish.
The prospective backing comes after a difficult slump for Russell, who scored just 26 points over the last five grands prix compared to 116 earned by Max Verstappen. Russell's misfortunes included a power unit failure in Malaysia, a sprint crash and engine penalty in Singapore, a bafflingly poor race in Austin, an energy deployment problem in Mexico, and a pit-exit spin in Sao Paulo after missing out on pole on the final lap of wet qualifying. Russell sits on 262 points, trailing Red Bull Racing's Verstappen (279 points) in the runner-up contest, with Lewis Hamilton (261), Charles Leclerc (249), and Lando Norris (246) close behind. Wolff voiced total confidence in Russell's resilience, stressing that overcoming such demanding stretches is an essential step in his ongoing development.
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