Russell Starts Third at Belgian GP, Cites Speed Deficit

Mercedes driver George Russell will start the Belgian Grand Prix from third on the grid but faces a significant and unresolved straight-line speed deficit that he says is hampering his Formula 1 world championship aspirations. The issue, which first appeared at the previous race in Silverstone, left him half a second behind his pole-winning teammate Kimi Antonelli in qualifying at the Spa-Francorchamps circuit on Saturday, July 18, 2026.

Russell qualified fourth, a position that becomes third after McLaren's Lando Norris serves a grid penalty for an engine change. However, the 28-year-old Briton described feeling "powerless" as his car continues to lose substantial time on the circuit's long straights, a problem the team has been unable to diagnose despite intensive investigation. He estimated the deficit ranged from two-tenths to six-tenths of a second per lap during the session, an improvement from a loss of eight-tenths during Friday's practice but still a major handicap.

"We thought we found the problem, changed it, it wasn't the problem," Russell explained. "We thought it was the driving style, and tried different driving styles, it wasn't the solution." He confirmed the...