Nico Rosberg insists that George Russell is currently fueled by a fierce, almost obsessive drive to overturn his recent fortunes, much like the determination he displayed when he finally outperformed Lewis Hamilton after a series of setbacks. The British driver’s aspirations of clinching his inaugural world championship this season appear increasingly remote, as his teammate, the in‑form Kimi Antonelli, has built an 81‑point advantage at the summit of the standings. Since his triumph at the Australian Grand Prix, which opened the 2025 campaign, Russell has managed to finish ahead of Antonelli only twice in the ten races they have both completed.
Those two occasions are dwarfed by Antonelli’s seventh and eighth victories, which came during the back‑to‑back events at Monza and Madrid. After the latest race, where Russell could only manage fifth place, Sky Sports F1 turned to former champion Rosberg for insight into how the former 2016 world champion rebounded after being soundly beaten by his own teammate Hamilton the previous year. Rosberg recalled, "I was driven a lot by the pain. It hurt to keep losing to Lewis, and that pain turned into an insane motivation." He went on to suggest that Russell is now experiencing a comparable psychological state.
"George is probably feeling the same kind of fire right now. He wants to work harder than ever because he hates being out‑performed by Kimi over and over again," Rosberg said.
"He’s putting in the effort, but it’s a tricky situation because it’s hard to pinpoint exactly where his pace has disappeared." Russell’s record with Mercedes has been impressive: he has been the team’s top‑scoring driver in three of his last four seasons, including two championship battles against Hamilton (2022 and 2024) and a strong showing alongside rookie Antonelli in 2025. However, with nine races remaining, a dramatic reversal is required for him to re‑enter the title conversation.
Rosberg believes Russell’s meticulous nature will keep him grinding for a breakthrough with the W17, even if the British driver is forced to question his own abilities. "I’m very impressed with George’s approach because he’s a perfectionist who scrutinises every aspect of his performance," Rosberg commented.
"He’s giving it his all, and I respect that. But it’s also painful for him because he can’t seem to understand why his speed has vanished.
He’s always been quick, always been at least on par with his teammate, and now that edge is gone. That creates self‑doubt – ‘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 his teammate started from a penalised 19th position yet still finished 66 points ahead in the championship, Russell admitted ahead of the Spanish Grand Prix that he would need a dose of luck to keep his title hopes alive. The gap widened to a season‑high 81 points after a disappointing weekend in Madrid, where a poor Q3 and an early Virtual Safety Car compromised his race. That result left Russell virtually out of contention for the drivers’ championship. Looking ahead to the upcoming races, beginning with the Azerbaijan Grand Prix on September 24‑26, Russell told F1 that his focus remains on incremental improvement.
"Just keep pushing along. It’s been a more positive couple of races even though the result wasn’t great today. The story of the season is that I need to concentrate on performance, help the team, and aim for good results race by race," he said.
"We’re in a strong position for the constructors’ title, but realistically I’m not fighting for the drivers’ championship, so I’ll just take it one race at a time." Mercedes remains confident that Russell can rediscover his peak form. Team principal Toto Wolff was asked what the driver is battling most intensely at the moment. Wolff replied, "I don’t know exactly where the pace is.
You could see him chasing Leclerc at the end of the last race – he was the fastest on track for a while. After the tyre changes, the speed disappeared. We have to analyse it because the potential is there, both in the car and in George.
We just need to unlock it." Wolff is convinced that even if this championship slips away, Russell will bounce back and remain a contender in future title fights. "George can have good races, bad races, good years, bad years – but he’s a driver who has already won everything he could have early in his career," Wolff noted, recalling Russell’s rapid rise through the junior ranks. "Every karting championship, his rookie year in Formula 3, his rookie year in Formula 2, then straight into Williams.
He’s a top‑level driver. We just need to find what it takes for him to unleash his full potential again." Wolff also highlighted the psychological aspect of enduring a tough season. "If you have a run like George’s this year, you’re taking a beating. The great drivers recover, and George has everything he needs to fight for championships.
Even if this one sails away, there will be more opportunities." As the F1 calendar moves into its final stretch, the Azerbaijan Grand Prix will be held on a Saturday, marking the start of a triple‑header weekend from September 24‑26. Fans can follow the live action on Sky Sports F1, with streaming available through NOW, offering a contract‑free, cancel‑anytime option.
The upcoming races will test Russell’s resolve, his team’s ability to extract performance from the W17, and whether his “insane motivation” can translate into the results needed to keep his championship dreams alive.