George Russell has issued a heartfelt message congratulating his Mercedes teammate, Kimi Antonelli, on securing the 2026 Drivers' Championship. Following the final race of the season in Mexico City, where Antonelli finished third behind Max Verstappen and Lewis Hamilton, Russell skipped the post-race media sessions and the team's celebration party before eventually posting a tribute on Instagram. The British driver stated that Antonelli had truly earned the title after an "absolutely incredible" season.
Russell described his own 2026 campaign as difficult to manage, noting that while he started the year as a favorite by winning the opening race, his form quickly deteriorated due to bad luck and disappointing performances. The 28-year-old driver, now in his fifth year with Mercedes, admitted it was the first season of his career where negative days outnumbered positive ones. He confessed to experiencing frequent moments of confusion and acknowledged that despite giving his maximum effort, 2026 was not his year.
The statistical gap between the teammates highlighted Antonelli's superiority throughout the championship. The Italian driver secured nine victories compared to Russell's three wins. Russell's sixth-place finish in the Mexico Grand Prix ultimately left him in fourth place in the final standings. Team principal Toto Wolff had previously described Russell as devastated by the outcome, but the driver has now publicly recognized his teammate's achievement.
Sources: ANSA Sport.