Mercedes fined €5,000 after distraught Russell skips post-race media duties

Mercedes has been fined €5,000 after George Russell failed to attend the media pen following the Mexico City Grand Prix, a mandatory requirement for every driver. The stewards found the Briton in breach of Article B10.1.4e, but Mercedes said he was “distraught” after a race that encapsulated a difficult campaign.

Why it matters:

Russell entered 2026 as a title favourite, yet mechanical failures and poor luck derailed his season while Kimi Antonelli sealed the championship. The media snub is a rare regulatory flashpoint, but it also exposes the human cost of a brutal year for a driver who has long been Mercedes’ benchmark.

The details:

• Russell’s Mexico race included an energy deployment problem, contact with Isack Hadjar and a 10-second penalty, leaving him sixth.
• Antonelli finished on the podium behind Max Verstappen and Lewis Hamilton, enough to clinch his first world title with up to four races remaining, pending a decision on the Middle East events.
• Toto Wolff said Russell was “distraught” and called his absence “absolutely understandable,” adding: “Him staying would have actually surprised me.”
• Russell later congratulated Antonelli on social media, admitting 2026 was “not meant to be my year” and promising to rediscover his best form.

What’s next:

F1 returns in Sao Paulo for the Brazilian Grand Prix on November 7-9 (AEDT). For Russell, the final races are now about rebuilding momentum and proving that a season of setbacks has not permanently altered his trajectory.