Russell says performance worries outweighed F1 title fight

George Russell said worries about his own performance weighed more heavily than the championship fight earlier in the 2026 season. Speaking at Thursday's media day at the Circuit of the Americas ahead of the United States Grand Prix, the Mercedes driver said he had few strong feelings about no longer being in contention; his earlier sleepless nights were about how to return to the level he knew he could reach.

Russell said his performance was not where he wanted it to be. He was weighing whether to accept poor performances and misfortune or try to put them right while focusing on what he could control.

One setback came late at Sepang, where a power-unit failure hit while Russell was running third. It led to a grid penalty at the following race in Singapore.

He described the season as a test of character and resilience. His effort to recover, as he explained it, meant asking what he needed from the car and what he should change in his driving.