George Russell declares he is ‘no longer lost’ as he targets Antonelli title fight

Russell claimed his third victory of the 2026 season in Baku, ending a three-month wait for another win. The Briton’s result came at an important moment in the title race, with Antonelli enduring one of his most difficult weekends of the campaign after a qualifying crash left him down in 16th on the grid.

Antonelli recovered to fifth place, but Russell’s victory reduced the Italian’s championship advantage to 66 points with the season entering its final third.

While the deficit remains substantial, Russell believes he has finally found the confidence and understanding of the Mercedes package that had eluded him for much of the year.

“The thing that’s changed is I feel my performances are strong enough to fight for victory week in, week out,” Russell said.

Russell began the season as one of the leading contenders for the championship, but Antonelli seized control early in the year as his more experienced Mercedes team-mate struggled to adapt his approach to F1’s new technical regulations.

The Briton said he had needed to make conscious changes to his driving style to get the most from the car. Those adjustments, he now feels, have become instinctive rather than something he must actively consider on every lap.

Mercedes will introduce a significant upgrade package at the upcoming Bahrain Grand Prix in Malaysia, although the team expects McLaren to be particularly competitive at the high-speed, flowing Sepang circuit.

Russell is refusing to look too far ahead after admitting he was surprised by their rivals' improvements, but believes the combination of his increased confidence and the update could make him a regular threat at the front.