George Russell entered the Hungarian Grand Prix weekend with a renewed sense of optimism, convinced that Mercedes have finally pinpointed and rectified the technical glitches that plagued his power unit during the recent race at Spa-Francorchamps. The British driver, who fell 50 points behind his title‑leading teammate Kimi Antonelli after a first‑lap collision with Ferrari's Lewis Hamilton, believes the disappointing result was largely down to a series of energy‑deployment faults rather than driver error.
During the two‑day Spa event Russell experienced a noticeable loss of straight‑line speed on the long, fast sections of the circuit. The issue manifested early in the weekend, reducing the car’s acceleration on the final lap and compromising his overall pace. In addition, the start of the race was marred by a separate problem that affected all Mercedes‑powered cars, leaving Russell vulnerable to the cars behind him and ultimately contributing to the contact that ended his race.
Despite the setbacks, Russell is confident that the team have dug deep enough to uncover the root cause. "We’re pretty confident we’ve got on top of the issues we had in Spa and it should be easy to resolve," he told reporters. "We hope and we think we have got on top of it, so feeling more positive." He added that the data gathered at Spa gave the engineers the clues they needed to focus their investigations.
"At the time we were not sure what it was, but the team have worked so hard to really dig deep. Spa gave us the right pointers of where to look for the problem. It’s like getting a needle out of a haystack – once you know where to look, the issue becomes clear. Fingers crossed we’ve solved the power‑unit problem, but we’ll find out this weekend." When asked whether his driving style might have contributed to the loss of power, Russell dismissed that theory.
"We think it was a software bug. It wasn’t the driving style that was contributing to the loss of power, so that’s something at least," he explained.
He likened the diagnostic process to searching for a needle in a haystack, emphasizing how the team’s perseverance finally paid off. Russell described his season as an "emotional rollercoaster". He began the year as the clear favourite for the world championship, but a combination of inconsistent form and a series of reliability setbacks for Mercedes has turned the campaign into a psychological battle. "It’s probably fair to say it is the toughest battle psychologically I’ve had," the 28‑year‑old admitted.
"There have been many ups and downs, things in my control that haven’t been great and also things outside my control that have hampered progress." Nevertheless, Russell remains determined to bounce back. "What doesn’t kill you makes you stronger," he said, expressing pride in his resilience. "Three days after Spa I feel positive and excited for the weekend, looking at future prospects rather than past disappointment. Racing always offers an opportunity just around the corner." The next opportunity arrives at the Hungaroring, a circuit that historically places less emphasis on outright power compared with tracks like Silverstone or Spa.
Russell has a strong pedigree there, having twice stood on the podium and secured his first career pole position in 2022. He hopes the reduced power‑sensitivity of the Budapest layout will allow him to showcase the car’s handling strengths while mitigating the engine issues that have haunted him.
Reflecting on his recent form, Russell pointed to a surge of momentum that began with his Austrian Grand Prix victory three races ago. "I felt some good momentum coming out of Austria and Barcelona, especially after Monaco," he said. "Monaco was a very low point for me, but then I got pole in Barcelona, P2 in the race, pole in Austria and the win – that built real confidence.
It was halted by Silverstone and Spa, but I hope I can continue from where we were in Austria." He added that the Budapest circuit is one of the least power‑dependent on the calendar, which could play to Mercedes’ advantage. "Ferrari are close behind, they have a better chassis than power unit at the moment, so you can expect them to be competitive here," Russell noted. "Kimi’s performing super well every weekend, so it won’t be straightforward, but I’m excited for it." Despite Antonelli’s growing lead in the championship, Russell insists the title fight is far from over.
"We’re not even halfway through yet," he affirmed. "Four races ago I was a lot more points behind, even with the Spa disappointment.
I’m feeling a lot more positive, excited for the weekend ahead and hoping to focus on driving quick." The Hungarian Grand Prix weekend schedule is packed with action across the support series. Friday, July 24, kicks off with F3 practice at 8:50 am, followed by F2 practice at 10:00 am, and Hungarian GP practice one at 12:30 pm. The day concludes with F3 qualifying at 1:55 pm, F2 qualifying at 3:00 pm, and Hungarian GP practice two at 4:00 pm, before the F1 Show at 5:15 pm. Saturday, July 25, features the F3 sprint at 9:00 am, GP practice three at 11:30 am, F2 sprint at 1:10 pm, and the crucial Hungarian GP qualifying session at 3:00 pm, followed by Ted’s Qualifying Notebook at 5:00 pm.
Sunday, July 26, delivers the F3 feature race at 7:35 am, Porsche Supercup at 9:05 am, F2 feature race at 10:20 am, and finally the Hungarian Grand Prix itself, with the race starting at 2:00 pm, the chequered‑flag reaction at 4:00 pm, and Ted’s post‑race notebook at 5:00 pm. All sessions are broadcast live on Sky Sports F1, with streaming available via NOW without a contract and cancellable at any time. In summary, Russell heads into Budapest with a blend of cautious optimism and renewed determination. He believes Mercedes have finally identified the software bug that caused the power‑unit hiccups at Spa, and he is eager to test that theory on a circuit that rewards chassis balance over raw horsepower.
If the team’s fixes hold, Russell could very well turn the tide of his season, reclaim lost points, and keep his championship hopes alive as the summer break approaches.