Vettel rallies behind this F1 driver in high-stakes 2026 title campaign
Updated: 10:45, 26 Feb
13 Comments
Sebastian Vettel has firmly backed George Russell as his favourite to win the drivers’ title in the 2026 Formula 1 season.
“I would pick George, because I consider him very intelligent, because I know how hard he works on himself”- Sebastian Vettel
Vettel throws full support behind Russell in 2026
Speaking on ServusTV, the four-time world champion said he believes the Briton and Mercedes are the leading contenders for this year’s title, while acknowledging that several other teams and drivers on the grid remain equally strong challengers.
“On the one hand, based on what can be seen so far, it is probably not a bad choice to tip Mercedes, but quite deliberately, McLaren also runs Mercedes engines, and they have not done a bad job in recent years.
ADVERTISEMENT
“I would pick George, because I consider him very intelligent, because I know how hard he works on himself. I think he is smart enough to understand what he personally can contribute as a driver to make the difference.
“There are several drivers in the field who can do that, but in the current situation my gut feeling would be that George, together with Mercedes, will succeed best this year.”
Photo: Race Pictures
Ecclestone lays out crucial condition for Russell’s 2026 championship bid
The former Formula 1 supremo suggested Mercedes could hold an advantage over its rivals heading into the 2026 season, while emphasising that Russell will need to demonstrate a true killer instinct across the full campaign if he wants to secure the drivers’ crown.
ADVERTISEMENT
Speaking to Sport.de, Ecclestone argued that Mercedes appears well positioned competitively and believes Russell has the talent required to fight for the title, adding that any team powered by Mercedes engines could have a strong shot at winning the championship.
Read also
Read more about:
latest news
Miami Grand Prix
Overview
Friday 01.05.26
Practice 1
04:30 PM
Sprint Qualification
08:30 PM
Saturday 02.05.26
Sprint Race
04:00 PM
Qualification
08:00 PM
Sunday 03.05.26
Race
08:00 PM
Friday 01.05.26
Practice 1
Fri 04:30 PM
Sprint Qualification
Fri 08:30 PM
Saturday 02.05.26
Sprint Race
Sat 04:00 PM
Qualification
Sat 08:00 PM
Sunday 03.05.26
Race
Sun 08:00 PM
Times are in your local timezone
Popular on GPBlog
1
F1 Today: Red Bull signs deal with Honda, Russell told to deploy Hamilton blueprint
32268 times read
2
Red Bull Racing signs new deal with Honda for the supply of old F1 engines
26323 times read
3
Watch Lance Stroll take on Max Verstappen’s team in GT3 here
2860 times read
4
Wolff raises concern over Verstappen future as F1 faces major threat
1592 times read
F1-stand 2026
Season
| Pos. | Driver | Team | Points |
|---|---|---|---|
1 | MercedesMER | 72 | |
2 | MercedesMER | 63 | |
3 | FerrariFER | 49 | |
4 | FerrariFER | 41 | |
5 | McLarenMCL | 25 | |
6 | McLarenMCL | 21 | |
7 | HaasHAA | 17 | |
8 | AlpineALP | 15 | |
9 | Red Bull RacingRBR | 12 | |
10 | Racing BullsRCB | 10 |
Loading
