Russell second at Silverstone, says team must improve

George Russell secured a dramatic second-place finish at the British Grand Prix on Sunday, July 5, 2026, but the Mercedes driver left his home race at Silverstone expressing deep frustration over his team's performance and his own championship prospects. The victory went to Ferrari's Charles Leclerc, who claimed his first win of the season.

Russell's podium, his first at Silverstone, was the product of a chaotic final phase. After running behind teammate and polesitter Kimi Antonelli for much of the race, Russell suffered a slow puncture and an unscheduled pit stop that dropped him to seventh. A late Safety Car intervention then reshuffled the order. Ferrari pitted Lewis Hamilton, who was running second, relegating him to third, while Antonelli's charge for victory was derailed by a damaged wheel shield. These incidents promoted Russell to an unlikely second place behind Leclerc.

"I don't really know how to sum it up," Russell said after the race. He described the weekend as challenging, citing unexplained straight-line speed deficits and a lack of confidence in his car. "The feeling was good, but the lap times were slow," he explained. Despite the result, Russell was blunt...