Russell handed solution to Antonelli problem ahead of Hungarian Grand Prix

Russell has endured a challenging first half of the 2026 campaign, trailing his Mercedes teammate by 50 points after the opening 10 races. The Briton, who entered the season as the bookmakers' favourite to win the drivers' championship, has seen his title bid unravel in stark contrast to pre-season expectations. His frustrations reached another low at the Belgian Grand Prix, where his race ended after just five corners.

In the immediate aftermath of his retirement at Spa-Francorchamps, Russell unleashed an expletive-filled rant over the team radio, with many interpreting the outburst as a reflection of the growing frustration on his side of the Mercedes garage.

Despite Russell's struggles and the widening gap to Antonelli, Schumacher insisted the relationship between the Briton and Mercedes remains unchanged. The former Formula 1 driver stressed that Russell's priority is to get back on equal footing with his teammate, something he believes rests entirely with the driver and his side of the garage.

Speaking on the Backstage Boxengasse podcast, Schumacher said: "I don't think that changes anything at all in terms of the relationship. George Russell obviously needs to get back on equal footing with his team-mate first. He knows that himself. Ultimately, it's up to him, his engineer or his side of the team to deliver.

Schumacher went on to urge Russell to spend more time in the simulator and study Antonelli's driving style until it becomes second nature. "

Schumacher said: "He really needs to sit down now, get back into the simulator, and there's nothing else he can do but try to copy his team-mate, so to speak, and he has to practise that in the simulator until it becomes second nature."

The 51-year-old acknowledged that certain regulations can naturally suit one driver more than another but remains interested to see whether Russell can rediscover his best form. "

He added: "I think he's already trying to do that, but there are simply certain regulations that don't really work in a driver's favour, and I think that's the problem he's facing right now. I'm curious to see whether he'll be able to get out of this, whether he'll really be able to get back to that level."

The British media have been unsparing in their assessment of Russell's chances of winning the 2026 drivers' championship as the gap to Antonelli continues to grow. Russell himself admitted he had become "numb" to disappointment after suffering another setback at the Belgian Grand Prix.

In the aftermath of the race, which Antonelli went on to win, several British outlets questioned whether Russell has what it takes to lead Mercedes to a championship under the current regulations. Others have even speculated about the possibility of a performance disparity between the cars driven by the two teammates.