Nico Rosberg, the 2016 world champion, believes that George Russell is currently fueled by a fierce, almost desperate drive to overturn his recent misfortunes, much like the fire that propelled Rosberg to defeat Lewis Hamilton after several seasons of being out‑paced. Russell’s ambition to capture his maiden title this year is rapidly fading, as his teammate‑turned‑rival Kimi Antonelli has built an 81‑point cushion at the summit of the championship. Since clinching the opening round in Melbourne, Russell has struggled to keep pace with the rising Italian star. In the ten races where both drivers have reached the finish line, the Briton has managed to finish ahead of Antonelli only twice.
Antonelli, meanwhile, has secured his seventh and eighth victories of the season during the back‑to‑back events at Monza and Madrid, widening the gap and leaving Russell scrambling for answers. After the most recent Grand Prix, where Russell crossed the line in fifth place, Rosberg was asked by Sky Sports F1 to reflect on his own comeback story after being decisively beaten by Hamilton in 2015.
Rosberg answered that the lingering pain of those defeats was the catalyst for his relentless motivation. "I was driven by the pain," he recalled. "It hurt to keep losing to Lewis, and that hurt turned into an insane desire to win." He sees a parallel in Russell’s situation today. "George is in a similar spot now.
He’s incredibly motivated to find any improvement," Rosberg said. "He works incredibly hard because I know he won’t accept being out‑performed by Kimi over and over again.
The difficulty is that even he can’t pinpoint where his speed has disappeared." Russell has been Mercedes’ top point‑scorer in three of his last four seasons, twice out‑scoring Hamilton (2022 and 2024) and once out‑scoring a rookie teammate (2025). Yet with nine races remaining, he needs a dramatic reversal to re‑enter the title hunt. Rosberg remains confident that Russell’s diligent approach will eventually yield a breakthrough with the W17, although he acknowledges that the 28‑year‑old is likely questioning his own abilities.
"I’m impressed by George’s methodical nature," Rosberg added. "He’s a perfectionist who analyses every facet of his performance. He’s giving everything he can, and I respect that.
The problem is that he can’t seem to locate his own pace. He’s always been quick, always been on par with his teammate, and now that speed feels gone. It’s painful because self‑doubt creeps in. No matter how confident you think you are, you start asking, ‘Am I not good enough?
Was I better before and now I’m doing something wrong?’ It’s a tough mental battle." Fresh from a loss to Antonelli at Monza—where Antonelli started from a penalised 19th position yet still beat Russell by a substantial margin—Russell admitted ahead of the Spanish Grand Prix that he would need a dose of luck to keep his championship aspirations alive. The deficit ballooned to a season‑high 81 points after a disappointing weekend in Madrid, where a problematic Q3 and an early Virtual Safety Car hampered his race. That performance left him effectively out of the drivers’ title race.
Looking ahead to the upcoming Azerbaijan Grand Prix (24‑26 September), Russell told F1 that his focus is on incremental progress. "Just keep pushing forward. The last two races have been more positive, even if the results weren’t great.
The season has been a story of highs and lows. I need to concentrate on performance, help the team, and aim for solid finishes race by race.
The constructors’ battle is realistic for us, but the drivers’ championship is out of reach for now, so I’ll keep targeting good results each weekend." Mercedes remains convinced that Russell can rediscover his form. Team principal Toto Wolff was asked what the Briton is battling most intensely at the moment. Wolff replied, "I’m not entirely sure.
You saw his speed at the end of the race when he was closing on Leclerc; he was the fastest on track. After the tyre changes, the pace vanished.
We need to analyse why—whether it’s in the car, in his mind, or a combination of both. We have to unlock it." Wolff is confident that even if this title slips away, Russell will bounce back and continue to be a contender in future championships.
"George can have good races, bad races, great years, and difficult years. He’s a driver who has already won everything he could have at the junior level—every karting championship, Formula 3 and Formula 2 titles in his rookie seasons, and a seat with Williams before joining Mercedes.
He’s a top‑tier talent. The challenge now is to unleash that potential again." Wolff also highlighted the psychological aspect: "When you endure a season like this, you take a beating. The great drivers recover, and George has everything needed to fight for championships.
Even if this year doesn’t end with a title, there will be more opportunities." As the F1 calendar moves into the triple‑header weekend in Baku, with the Azerbaijan Grand Prix scheduled for Saturday, fans can follow the drama live on Sky Sports F1. The race will be streamed via NOW, offering a contract‑free, cancel‑anytime option for viewers who want to keep up with Russell’s quest to rediscover his speed and perhaps spark a late‑season resurgence.