There seems to be a cloud of bad luck following George Russell in the 2026 Formula 1 season.
The 28-year-old has called it “the worst season of my career” after another engine problem dropped him back at the Hungarian Grand Prix. He refused to give up, fighting his way back through to finish seventh.
His first major engine and power unit failure of the season happened at the Canadian Grand Prix on May 24, 2026. Russell was leading the race and looked set to win when his Mercedes suffered a battery-related power unit failure. The car suddenly lost power, forcing him to retire from the race.
“Obviously, the problems are happening, but the whole team feels it as well. They’re as p****d off as I am with how it’s unfolded.
“We need to look at ourselves and ensure it’s nothing we’re doing wrong that is contributing to these errors. Oscar had his gearbox thing as well. It’s not like we’re the only one, but it does feel like it is happening substantially more to me than others.
“Hopefully it swings around. I don’t wish any bad luck on anyone. But I’ve never had a season like this in my whole career, let alone my F1 career.”
Now in his fifth season with Mercedes, Russell has won seven Formula 1 races since joining as a full-time driver in 2022. His first win was at the 2022 São Paulo Grand Prix in Brazil, and he has added more wins over the following seasons.
Russell is still chasing his first Formula 1 World Championship. Before reaching F1, he won the 2017 GP3 Series title and the 2018 Formula 2 Championship. Russell made his Formula 1 debut with Williams at the 2019 Australian Grand Prix.
