George Russell did not expect the 2026 season to be this tough. Once a title favourite, he now fights to hold onto second place as his Mercedes teammate Kimi Antonelli accelerates away. The pressure has forced Russell to question his entire driving approach, especially with the latest technical formula demanding an unnatural style.
Many drivers have complained about the awkward driving style required for the 2026 cars, but Russell is among a minority who seem to be at a disadvantage compared to their teammates. At Silverstone and Spa, he hit lower peak top speeds than Antonelli on key straights. The reason: Russell uses slightly more electrical power to re-accelerate after scrubbing off speed through preceding corners. McLaren's Oscar Piastri is in a similar position.
Although F1's power units will shift from a 55:45 ratio of internal combustion engine output and electrical power to 58:42 for 2027, this won't bring a massive shift in performance characteristics. However, other changes are afoot, including a new family of Pirelli tyre compounds developed through testing with the current cars.
Asked in Baku ahead of this weekend's Azerbaijan Grand Prix whether this could promote a more natural driving style, Russell suggested it may. "I think it's been clear this season that the tyres, front to rear, probably have not been well balanced enough," he said. "You look at some tracks that are clearly front-limited and the fronts have stayed pretty strong throughout. It could also be because of the extra power we've got coming off the corners, so the rear tyres are getting a harder time."
Russell also shared an interesting anecdote. He spoke with Antonio Giovinazzi, who drove this new generation of car for the first time a couple of days ago at Imola, and he said how impressed he was at the power of these new cars off the corner. "And I think that has quite an impact on the rear tyres," Russell added. "Obviously, last year when we developed these tyres, they were with the previous generation of power unit, which had much less power off the corners. So, I don't think it's a big surprise the rear tyres are getting a harder time than we all anticipated."
Pirelli's history in F1 is intriguing. When it became the sole tyre supplier in 2011, it was handed a brief to produce compounds which offered strong grip up to a certain point before falling off quickly. The trigger was the 2010 Canadian Grand Prix, which was processional. Since then, tyres have become a strategic tool, but sometimes frustrate drivers. Now, with more balanced 2027 tyres, Russell hopes to return to a more natural driving style and close the gap to Antonelli.
If Russell's hopes materialise, the internal Mercedes battle could intensify. Antonelli, in top form, will not sit idle. Meanwhile, fans can look forward to whether these technical changes will shift the balance of power on track.
Baca Juga
George Russell berharap ban Pirelli 2027 lebih seimbang untuk gaya mengemudi natural. Kimi Antonelli dan rival siap menanggapi. Simak analisisnya.
Lewis Hamilton mendukung balapan F1 2026 tetap digelar di Timur Tengah, meski konflik di Teluk memanas. Ia juga menolak opsi Imola sebagai penutup musim.
Silverstone menggelar acara Natal 2026 dengan atraksi Lap of Lights, di mana pengunjung bisa mengendarai mobil pribadi di sirkuit F1. Tiket sudah dijual.
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