George Russell still in F1 title fight? Fans have their say after slump

George Russell started the 2026 F1 season in style, with a dominant win in Australia and a podium in China. But his form has dipped since, while Mercedes teammate Kimi Antonelli has flourished, taking five victories in the opening 11 rounds.

A costly engine failure while leading in Canada and a first-lap clash with Lewis Hamilton at Spa added to his woes. In Hungary, an anti-stall issue dropped him to the back of the field. As a result, Russell trails Antonelli by 59 points in the standings with 11 races remaining.

Interestingly, the majority of fans still believe in Russell's chances. A RacingNews365 poll revealed that 62 percent of respondents think he is still in the fight, although 45 percent of those believe his hopes are "rapidly fading". Another 37 percent say he has no chance anymore.

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These numbers underline Russell's undeniable talent, even if results on track have not gone his way. The pressure is now on him to prove himself in the second half of the season. If he can bounce back, he could rejoin the title race, but any further slip-ups will only narrow his path.

Mercedes benefits from having two drivers pushing each other. This situation echoes the internal battle between Lewis Hamilton and Nico Rosberg in the past. Will Russell emulate Rosberg's comeback? Or will Antonelli keep pulling away? The coming races will tell.