Mercedes: It’s one thing after another for George Russell

Another difficult week lies ahead for Mercedes driver George Russell. The British driver, who is battling for second place in the overall standings, will be penalized five positions on the starting grid for the 2026 Brazilian Grand Prix.

Russell will, in fact, be forced to use a new internal combustion engine in his W17, bringing the total number of engines used this season to six—while the FIA’s limit is four. This is yet another sign of just how unlucky the season has been for the British driver, number 63, who has struggled considerably in comparison to his teammate and newly crowned world champion, Kimi Antonelli.

Now Russell will have to mount a comeback to remain in contention for the runner-up spot in the world championship. The final race weekend in Mexico, where Antonelli clinched the title with a third-place finish, was emblematic of the British driver’s struggles. Russell started from second on the grid, but a power distribution issue caused him to drop back in the early stages of the race. To further complicate matters, he made contact with Isack Hadjar, which cost him a ten-second penalty; in the end, the driver from Wisbech finished in sixth place.

At a press conference in Interlagos, Russell revisited the topic, seeking explanations for the string of setbacks that have derailed his season. “I don’t think I’ve ever had so many setbacks in my career,” he said, noting that in previous years he had experienced problems in at most two or four races, whereas this year there have been 14.