Key Highlights
- George Russell cut Kimi Antonelli’s championship lead from 81 points to 66 at the Azerbaijan Grand Prix.
- There are eight rounds and a maximum of 208 points still available in the 2026 Formula 1 season.
- Russell has won at three remaining 2026 venues and says he is targeting victory in every race.
George Russell back in the 2026 F1 title race conversation
George Russell has revived his 2026 Formula 1 Drivers’ Championship hopes after reducing Kimi Antonelli’s lead from 81 points to 66 at the Azerbaijan Grand Prix. The Mercedes driver had previously ruled himself out of contention, but his victory in Baku has brought him back into the title race conversation ahead of the Bahrain Grand Prix and the remaining rounds.
Antonelli leads the standings with 302 points, while Russell has 236. With eight rounds still to come, including a Sprint weekend at the Singapore Grand Prix, a maximum of 208 points remains available. That total would require a driver to win every remaining Grand Prix and the Sprint.
Russell would need to outscore his Italian team mate by an average of 8.25 points per round to overturn the deficit, before any victory or other results countback is considered. His challenge could also be complicated by a likely grid penalty for new power unit components at one of the final rounds. Antonelli has already served a similar strategic burden, taking new components before his remarkable P19-to-P1 charge at Monza.
Russell has a strong record at key remaining circuits
Russell’s eight Grand Prix victories include three wins at circuits that remain on the 2026 schedule. Those successes rank among the strongest performances of his Formula 1 career and provide the Mercedes driver with positive momentum as the championship enters its decisive phase.
Russell claimed his maiden victory at the 2022 Sao Paulo Grand Prix, holding off late-race pressure from his seven-time World Champion team mate Lewis Hamilton. He then controlled the 2024 Las Vegas Grand Prix from start to finish.
In 2025, Russell secured redemption at the Singapore Grand Prix after his painful last-lap crash there in 2023. He converted pole position into victory, prompting Mercedes team boss Toto Wolff to praise his “formidable” level.
The 2026 regulations have created a different competitive environment, with performance fluctuating between drivers and cars throughout the season. However, Russell’s record at Sao Paulo, Las Vegas and Singapore gives him valuable experience and strong memories to draw on during the final stretch of the campaign.
Why Russell says he “feels like myself again”
Russell has spoken openly about the difficulty of extracting maximum performance from Formula 1’s new-generation cars. The regulations introduced overhauled aerodynamics, revised power units and several driver-controlled modes, requiring drivers to adapt their techniques throughout the season.
The year began ideally for Russell, with pole position and victory at the season opener in Australia. He subsequently endured periods of confusion and frustration, along with a series of setbacks, while Antonelli produced a run of poles and wins for Mercedes.
Since the summer break, Russell appears to have made progress. In Azerbaijan, he took pole position by more than eight-tenths of a second before keeping a charging Max Verstappen behind him to secure his first victory since June.
“I’m very proud of the resilience that I and my close group of engineers have shown during the tough periods this year, because there’s been a lot of hard work to overcome some of the challenges, to adapt my driving style to suit this new car better,” said Russell.
“F1 is so tough, you don’t get opportunities to practice this, and finally it’s coming to me a bit more intuitively than it once did, and I’m gaining confidence. Especially on circuits like this, it just allows you to eke out that little bit more on the brakes, and get that little bit closer to the walls, and it’s been a flawless weekend.”
He continued: “I think I never lost that faith in myself. Even through the tough moments, I knew there was a reason why I was off the pace. It wasn’t like I just suddenly forgot how to drive, and I knew I would be able to find it again. I just had to be patient.”
Russell can attack while Antonelli carries the pressure
Antonelli remains the clear favourite to win the 2026 Drivers’ Championship because of his 66-point advantage. His lead is large enough for him to miss the next two race weekends and still retain at least an eight-point advantage over Russell.
However, Antonelli’s crash during Q1 in Baku was one of the few mistakes in an otherwise outstanding season. Russell believes that the championship pressure is now more heavily concentrated on his team mate as the final flyaway events approach.
“there’s much less pressure on me than there is him”
Asked how he would approach the closing races as the hunter rather than the hunted, Russell said: “Win every race. I mean, that’s the game plan. My team mate’s had an incredible season, he’s been pretty flawless throughout, but now we’re getting to crunch time.”
He added: “I didn’t really consider myself in this fight for a number of races, purely because my performance wasn’t strong enough. If the season were to have started today, or since the summer break, I feel very much I would have been able to fight.
“Now I’ve got this big deficit. It can change quickly, so I’m not chasing that. I’m chasing to win every race, and what will be, will be.”
Why This Matters
Russell’s victory in Azerbaijan has changed the shape of the 2026 championship battle. Antonelli still controls the standings, but the remaining 208 points mean Russell has a mathematical route back into contention if he can consistently finish ahead of his Mercedes team mate.
The pressure dynamic may also influence the final rounds. Antonelli has produced an exceptional season but now has a title lead to protect, while Russell can focus on maximising his results without needing to manage a championship advantage. His form at several upcoming circuits, combined with his improved confidence in the new-generation car, gives him a credible platform for a late-season challenge.
Frequently Asked Questions
How far behind Kimi Antonelli is George Russell?
Russell is 66 points behind Antonelli in the 2026 Drivers’ Championship. Antonelli has 302 points and Russell has 236.
How many points remain available in the 2026 F1 season?
Eight rounds remain, including a Sprint weekend at the Singapore Grand Prix. A maximum of 208 points is still available to a driver who wins every remaining Grand Prix and the Sprint.
Which remaining circuits has George Russell won at?
Russell has previously won at three circuits still scheduled for the 2026 season: Sao Paulo in 2022, Las Vegas in 2024 and Singapore in 2025.
