George Russell said he skipped post-race media duties in Mexico because another setback left him overwhelmed and needing space. After a start problem and a 10-second penalty, he finished sixth, while Mercedes teammate Kimi Antonelli secured the world title. Russell says he’s ready to race again at the São Paulo Grand Prix.

By the Numbers
  • Russell finished sixth in Mexico after receiving a 10-second penalty.
  • He and his engineer counted issues in 14 races this season, compared with six trouble-free weekends.
  • In 2023, Russell said he had issues in four races.
  • Russell missed pole in Mexico by 0.009 seconds.
Yes, But

Russell framed his absence as a need to recover—not an attempt to dodge difficult questions. He acknowledged the season’s toll but said setbacks shouldn’t define him, and that he intends to respond by coming back stronger.

Bottom Line

Mexico was the latest in a string of frustrating weekends for Russell, but he says he has regrouped. His challenge now is to turn that resilience into results in São Paulo.