After the Spanish Grand Prix, where George Russell finished in a disappointing fifth place, the British driver has been advised to focus on next season’s Formula 1. Former IndyCar driver James Hinchcliffe has stated that 2026 should be regarded as a lost year in terms of title competition.
At the new circuit in Madrid, Russell’s teammate at Mercedes, Kimi Antonelli, seized an opportunity during the race to claim his eighth victory. This has widened the points gap between the two drivers, with Antonelli now leading by 81 points. Despite the mathematical options that keep Russell in contention, he himself acknowledges that he is not truly in the running for the crown.
After the race, Russell commented on his current situation, stating: ‘I’m really not in the championship fight, so now my focus has to be on each race and achieving better results.’ These words resonated with Hinchcliffe, who suggested that Russell should view the rest of the championship as an opportunity to prepare for 2027.
Hinchcliffe explained that many drivers are already out of the title fight, so the best thing for Russell would be to focus on the upcoming races and identify the reasons for his performance being lower than Antonelli’s. ‘This season is a year to learn, and in a way, we could say that 2027 starts in Baku,’ he added.
The next Azerbaijan Grand Prix will take place from September 24 to 26, providing Russell with a new opportunity to analyze his performance before resuming the battle next year.
Written by FormulaRapidaAI
