Nico Rosberg is convinced that George Russell is currently fueled by a fierce, almost "insane" level of motivation, similar to the drive that propelled Rosberg to overturn his own setbacks and defeat Lewis Hamilton after a series of defeats. The British former champion believes that Russell’s desire to close the gap to his teammate, Kimi Antonelli, is now at its peak. Russell's chances of clinching his first world title this season have dwindled dramatically. Antonelli, who is enjoying a spectacular year with Mercedes, now leads the championship by a staggering 81 points.
Since taking the victory at the season‑opening Australian Grand Prix in March, Russell has managed to finish ahead of Antonelli only twice in the last ten races where both drivers completed the distance. Those two occasions are dwarfed by Antonelli’s back‑to‑back wins at the Monza‑Madrid double‑header, which marked his seventh and eighth triumphs of the campaign. Following Sunday's race, where Russell crossed the line in fifth place, Rosberg was interviewed by Sky Sports F1 about the mental shift that helped him rebound and capture the 2016 title after being soundly beaten by Hamilton the previous year.
"I was driven a lot by the pain," Rosberg recalled. "It was painful to keep losing to Lewis, and that pain turned into an almost insane motivation." He went on to draw a parallel with Russell’s current situation: "George is in a similar spot now. He’s incredibly motivated to find any improvement. He works tirelessly because I know he never gives up, and he hates being repeatedly out‑performed by Kimi.
The challenge for him is that it’s hard to pinpoint exactly where his pace has vanished." Russell has been Mercedes' highest‑scoring driver in three of his last four seasons with the team – twice in three‑year battles against Hamilton (2022 and 2024) and once alongside rookie Antonelli (2025). To repeat that success this year, he would need a dramatic turnaround with nine races remaining on the calendar. Rosberg praised Russell’s diligence, noting that the 28‑year‑old will continue to search for a breakthrough with the W17.
Yet he also acknowledged the mental strain: "George is a perfectionist; he analyses every facet of his performance. I admire his dedication, but it’s also painful when you start doubting yourself. You ask, ‘Am I not good enough? Was I better before and now I’m doing something wrong?’ That internal battle is tough." Fresh from a loss to Antonelli at Monza – where his teammate started from a penalised 19th place and still finished 66 points ahead – Russell admitted ahead of the Spanish Grand Prix that he would need a bit of luck to keep his championship hopes alive.
The deficit widened to a season‑high 81 points after a disappointing weekend in Madrid, hampered by a difficult Q3 and an early Virtual Safety Car that disrupted his race rhythm. That result left Russell effectively out of the title fight.
Looking ahead to the upcoming races, starting with the Azerbaijan Grand Prix on September 24‑26, Russell told F1: "Just keep pushing. It’s been a more positive couple of races even though today’s result wasn’t great. The season’s story is about focusing on performance, helping the team, and taking it race by race.
We’re in a strong position for the constructors’ championship, but realistically I’m not in the drivers’ fight, so I’ll concentrate on delivering good results each weekend." Mercedes remain confident that Russell can rediscover his peak form. Team principal Toto Wolff was asked what the Briton is battling most fiercely at the moment.
Wolff replied: "I’m not entirely sure. You could see the pace he had at the end when he was closing on Leclerc – he was the fastest on track. After the tyre changes, that pace disappeared.
We need to analyse where it’s gone because it’s in the car and in him; we just have to unlock it." Wolff added that even if the title slips away, Russell will bounce back and remain a contender in future championship battles. "George can have good races, bad races, strong seasons, weaker seasons – he’s a driver who has already won everything he could have at the junior level.
From karting championships to Formula 3 and Formula 2 in his rookie years, then onto Williams, his résumé is impressive. The question is how to unleash that potential now. The psychological side matters; a tough year can feel like a beating, but the great drivers recover. George has everything needed to fight for championships again.
Even if this one slips away, there will be more opportunities." The F1 season continues to unfold live on Sky Sports F1, with the Azerbaijan Grand Prix kicking off a triple‑header of races from September 24‑26, the Baku race being held on a Saturday. Fans can stream the action via Sky Sports with NOW – no contract required, cancel anytime.