George Russell frustrated by bad luck after losing F1 championship lead

George Russell was left frustrated by the bad luck he has recently endured after losing his Formula 1 championship lead at the Japanese Grand Prix.

The Mercedes driver enjoyed the perfect start to 2026 by winning the Melbourne opener and Shanghai sprint, but team-mate Kimi Antonelli has since taken a nine-point advantage following victories at the Chinese and Japanese grands prix.

It’s not because Antonelli is that much quicker than Russell though, as he won from pole in Shanghai partly due to the Briton suffering a gearbox problem in Q3.

Antonelli then took pole again at Suzuka in another Mercedes 1-2, but that happened after a set-up change backfired for Russell who made a “massive” front wing adjustment mid-session.

The problems continued on Sunday: Antonelli dropped to sixth at race start, but inherited the lead by making his only pitstop during the lap 23 safety car after Oliver Bearman’s crash.

George Russell, Mercedes, Andrea Kimi Antonelli, Mercedes

Asked to explain why, he responded: “Just how it’s turned out. I can’t really give you more of an answer to that. It’s like, sometimes people have problems in practice, we’ve not had a single issue in practice this whole season, I’ve had the problems in qualifying.

“Lando hasn’t had any problems in qualifying, he’s had all the problems in practice. So, it’s just luck of the draw with these new cars. It’s race three of 22, I’m not concerned at all with what is [going] on here and I know I’ve got what it takes to sort of bounce back.”

Russell isn’t concerned by Antonelli taking the championship lead ahead of round four in Miami on 1-3 May; Bahrain and Saudi Arabia were scheduled for April, but cancelled due to ongoing conflict in the Middle East.

Asked whether the title momentum has shifted, Russell said: “No, not at all. It’s three races down in 22 and one lap different today, the victory would have been on my side and I’m very confident of that.

“In China, without the qualifying issue, I was three tenths ahead in sprint qualifying, so maybe I could have been on pole there and won that race.

“So, it’s just how it turns out, that’s racing. We’re now at a four-week break, so there’s no momentum to be carried. Reset and go again for the next race.”

Photos from Japanese GP – Sunday

Charles Leclerc, Ferrari, Oscar Piastri, McLaren, George Russell, Mercedes

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Andrea Kimi Antonelli, Mercedes, Lewis Hamilton, Ferrari

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Pierre Gasly, Alpine

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An Oracle Red Bull Racing fan.

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Car of Lewis Hamilton, Ferrari

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Brie Larson.

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Lewis Hamilton, Ferrari

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Esteban Ocon, Haas F1 Team

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Franco Colapinto, Alpine, Alexander Albon, Williams

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Ferrari fans.

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Oscar Piastri’s car, McLaren

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Fernando Alonso, Aston Martin Racing, Lance Stroll, Aston Martin Racing

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Sergio Perez, Cadillac Racing

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Gabriel Bortoleto, Audi F1 Team

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Charlie Day and Jack Black visit the Mercedes AMG F1 Team garage.

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Nico Hülkenberg, Audi F1 Team, George Russell, Mercedes

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Lewis Hamilton, Ferrari

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Benny Safdie

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Charles Leclerc, Ferrari, Liam Lawson, Racing Bulls

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Carlos Sainz, Williams, Sergio Perez, Cadillac Racing

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Gabriel Bortoleto, Audi F1 Team

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Fernando Alonso, Aston Martin Racing

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Andrea Kimi Antonelli, Mercedes

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Esteban Ocon, Haas F1 Team

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Zak Brown, McLaren

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Toto Wolff, Mercedes

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Frederic Vasseur, Ferrari

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Oscar Piastri, McLaren

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Oscar Piastri, McLaren

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Max Verstappen, Red Bull Racing, Esteban Ocon, Haas F1 Team, Arvid Lindblad, Racing Bulls

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George Russell, Mercedes

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Max Verstappen, Red Bull Racing, Pierre Gasly, Alpine

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Lando Norris, McLaren

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Max Verstappen, Red Bull Racing, Isack Hadjar, Red Bull Racing

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Max Verstappen, Red Bull Racing, Pierre Gasly, Alpine, Liam Lawson, Racing Bulls

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Arvid Lindblad, Racing Bulls

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Gabriel Bortoleto, Audi F1 Team

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Andrea Kimi Antonelli, Mercedes

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Isack Hadjar, Red Bull Racing

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