George Russell has conceded that the Formula One drivers' championship is now out of his reach after a series of misfortunes and the exceptional form of his Mercedes teammate Kimi Antonelli. The British driver finds himself 68 points adrift of the teenager, who has won five consecutive races.
Pressure off for Russell
Speaking ahead of the Barcelona-Catalunya Grand Prix, Russell said: "The pressure feels off. I'm going to try to enjoy every race, not even think about the championship: it's so far out of reach. It's just going to enjoy the races and have fun, drive fast and do what I know I'm capable of doing."
Russell's latest setback came in Monaco, where he was one of five drivers penalised for speeding in the pit lane. His initial five-second penalty was incorrectly observed, leading to a further drive-through punishment. He finished 12th while Antonelli extended his lead with a flawless victory, and Lewis Hamilton moved into second for Ferrari.
Tough season for Russell
The 28-year-old led the Canadian Grand Prix last month but was forced to retire due to a battery failure. He also suffered costly bad luck in China and Japan in March. Russell reflected: "It has been very tough. But when I've sat down and thought about this season as a whole – if it was just a neutral season, I think I'd have had three more podiums and it would have been five out of six races on the podium, maybe a couple of wins."
He added: "I'd probably be slightly behind Kimi, but the picture is totally different. Now I'm going to do every race to try to control the controllables. I can't do anything about the engine breaking down, I can't do anything about a bad safety car timing or this pit lane infringement situation."
Alpine appeal and Pirelli deal
Alpine have appealed against the pit lane speeding penalties after Pierre Gasly was denied a podium in Monaco. The FIA ruled two elements of their case admissible, with a final decision expected on Friday. Gasly described losing third as "the hardest day I've had in F1 and in my sport career". New evidence suggests speed measurements may have been inaccurate, potentially reinstating him to third place currently held by Red Bull's Isack Hadjar.
Meanwhile, the FIA announced that Pirelli will remain the sole tyre supplier for Formula One until 2028.
