George Russell: 'The gods don't want me in the F1 title fight' after Canadian GP DNF

George Russell says he feels as if "the gods don't want me in the fight" for the F1 title after a Mercedes power unit failure ended his Canadian GP victory bid on Lap 30. The retirement gifted teammate Kimi Antonelli his fourth consecutive grand prix win – an unprecedented run for a driver's first four victories – and stretched the Italian's championship lead to 43 points.

Why it matters:

Russell's deficit is now the second-largest ever overcome under the current points system, behind only Max Verstappen's 46-point gap to Charles Leclerc in 2022. With Antonelli on a hot streak and Russell failing to finish on the grand prix podium since China's second round, momentum is firmly against the Briton.

The Details:

• The gap: Antonelli has 131 points to Russell's 88, though Russell's two Sprint wins (China, Canada) have helped keep him within reach.
• Bad luck tally: Russell cited an unfortunate safety car in Japan and a DNF from pole in China qualifying before the Montreal power unit failure.
• Driver's view: "Right now, it is his to lose, being so many points ahead," Russell told media. "It feels like the gods don't want me to be in this fight."
• Pressure off?: Russell added, "The pressure is off, I will go out, enjoy every single race and try to win every single race, and I've got nothing to lose."

What's next:

Russell insists he'll race without fear, but with Antonelli's form and reliability concerns, the title fight already looks like an uphill battle. Mercedes will need to address both pace and durability if Russell is to close the gap before the summer break.