George Russell says no need to panic, Canadian Grand Prix "just another race for me"

While Russell was tipped to be the 2026 F1 Title favorite, it was Antonelli who currently holds the upper hand with three wins, with the former just having one to his name from Melbourne's season opener.

Heading into this weekend, Russell needs to respond before Antonelli gains more momentum, and Canada should be the best place for that as the Briton has historically done well around the Circuit Gilles Villeneuve.

But Russell remains calm and said in Montreal on Thursday: "It's just another race for me, and it's ​not even on my mind—the championship. There's no ​need to panic at all. As we said, we're four races ⁠down, 18 at least to go."

Mercedes will have a major upgrade on their W17 this weekend, which will be a timely response to their rivals, McLaren, Ferrari, and Red Bull, who all upgraded their cars in Miami.

Commenting on the upgrade package, Russell said: "Our numbers look pretty promising. But until we drive it on track, there's always going to be a few unknowns.

"The starts are a big focus for us," he added, referring to Mercedes' sluggish launches so far in 2026. "Because that's clearly our biggest weak point. We know short term ​it's going to be difficult to make major gains."

As for Mercedes' chances in Montreal, Russell said: "The last two years this track has suited our car more.

"It doesn't guarantee that we'll win again this year, but it's just a track that I like the flow of," he concluded.

Russell is currently second in the 2026 F1 Drivers' Championship, 20 points behind leader Antonelli. (Reporting by Agnes Carlier)