'I’m not in the fight for the drivers’ title' – Russell

George Russell has admitted he is realistically out of the 2026 Drivers' Championship fight following his fifth-place finish at the Spanish Grand Prix in Madrid. With teammate Kimi Antonelli securing his eighth victory of the season, Russell now trails the standings by 81 points, shifting his focus to securing the Constructors' Championship for Mercedes. Despite a promising start to the weekend, Russell struggled during the race, largely due to a two-stop strategy that he questioned over the team radio. While he initially felt he could have defended against Lando Norris with a one-stop approach, he later acknowledged that the track's limited overtaking opportunities made his final position largely inevitable. Looking ahead to Baku, the Briton remains second in the standings but has adopted a new mindset aimed at maximizing team performance rather than chasing the individual title.