George Russell calls performance "rubbish" after 14th place at Austin Grand Prix

George Russell said his pace at the United States Grand Prix was “rubbish” after he finished well behind race‑winning teammate Kimi Antonelli, a gap that left the Mercedes driver baffled on Sunday in Austin. Russell qualified 13th and crossed the line in 14th, more than 18 seconds slower than Antonelli, who finished sixth after a strong drive in the new Mercedes‑powered car.

The comment comes as Mercedes continues to wrestle with a power‑unit deficit that has haunted the team all season. The American race was the first outing after a major aerodynamic update that was expected to close the gap to the front‑running Red Bull and Ferrari cars. Antonelli’s performance suggested the upgrades were beginning to work, but Russell’s lap times showed the car still lacked straight‑line speed and consistent tyre wear. Data released by the team showed the Mercedes engine was off the pace by roughly 0.8 seconds per lap compared with the leading power units, a margin that compounds over a 55‑lap race.

Team principal James Allison said the team is “deeply disappointed” but also “encouraged by the progress Antonelli showed”. He confirmed engineers are analysing telemetry to pinpoint why Russell’s car struggled more than his teammate’s. Fans and pundits have pointed to a possible setup mismatch or a lingering issue with the new rear‑wing design. Russell himself admitted he could not explain the disparity and vowed to work closely with the engineers to extract more performance.

Mercedes will bring a revised engine map and further aerodynamic tweaks to the next round in Mexico City. The team hopes the changes will narrow the power gap and give both drivers a more even footing. If the upgrades deliver, Russell could climb back into the points and keep Mercedes in the fight for a better finish in the constructors’ championship. The next race will be a crucial test of whether the team can turn “rubbish” pace into competitive speed.