Martin Brundle drops verdict on what George Russell ‘despair’ means for F1 title race

Mercedes Formula 1 driver George Russell has to believe “what goes around comes around” after suffering more bad luck during the Canadian Grand Prix, according to Martin Brundle.

In a cruel twist of fate, Russell forced to retire from the lead of Sunday’s race in Montreal after his Mercedes power unit failed during an intense battle for first place with team-mate Andrea Kimi Antonelli.

Antonelli went on to claim his fourth consecutive victory to open up a 43-point lead after the opening five rounds in 2026.

“There's nothing to choose between Russell and Antonelli at the moment, experience and wisdom seems to match unbridled speed and enthusiasm perfectly, and that's why they keep meeting in the middle of a corner,” Brundle wrote in his latest Sky Sports F1 column.

“They constantly seemed to be side by side especially when either driver ran a touch deep on the brakes into the Turn 10 hairpin. That is until Russell's Merc expired for good with a rare technical failure somewhere in the power unit. And he was out.

“In his despair he threw his headrest down the road and out front of the car, for which he would be fined €5,000 suspended for 12 months. Money well spent as far as I'm concerned as a way to process the extreme adrenalin flow and disappointment. Been there, done that.

“This released Antonelli on his way to a relatively untroubled fourth straight victory ahead of a rejuvenated Hamilton who grabbed second place, his best result for Ferrari in 29 races, with an audacious move on his old nemesis Verstappen in the closing stages.”

It is the latest misfortune to strike Russell, who suffered an issue in qualifying at the Chinese Grand Prix, and was left to rue the timing of a safety car at the Japanese Grand Prix, which cost him a possible win.

Russell was the overwhelming pre-season championship favourite and made the perfect start by winning the opening round in Australia, only to see Antonelli enjoy a streak of victories that has enabled the Italian teenager to take control in the title race.

"George Russell is now 43 points behind his teenage team-mate, that's equivalent to a first and second place, and he has to believe that what goes around comes around,” Brundle added.

“There’s still a very long way to go but McLaren, Ferrari and Red Bull are not going to stand still either.”

Russell stated after Sunday’s race that the 2026 F1 world championship is now Antonelli’s to lose.