George Russell has credited driving more “freely” for his return to form after the Formula 1 summer break. The Mercedes driver impressed at the Dutch Grand Prix, taking pole and winning the sprint race at Zandvoort, before securing a front-row start for the main race.
Russell, who struggled in the first half of 2026 and was often outperformed by teammate Andrea Kimi Antonelli, now looks like his old self. He missed a second pole by just over a tenth but outpaced Antonelli by 0.031s in the sister Mercedes.
The key change has been his driving style. Russell admitted trying to adopt Antonelli's approach, which suits the car and tyres better. “Kimi has done an amazing job, and our styles are quite different. I'm trying to implement something similar,” he explained.
He compared the change to adjusting a golf swing: “You might take half a step back before improving. The break allowed me to put those learnings in the back of my mind and just drive more freely.”
Russell, once considered a title favourite, is not getting carried away. “I won't say all issues are resolved. I'm taking it race by race,” he said, noting a few messy weekends like Silverstone and Spa due to PU issues.
Now he feels more relaxed and pressure-free. “I don't feel like I'm in a fight. It's not mine to lose, it's mine to gain,” he added. With this new mindset, Russell hopes to be consistently competitive.
This weekend could be a turning point for Russell, who trails championship leader Antonelli by 56 points. His improved performance at Zandvoort shows he still has a chance to bounce back in the remaining races.
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