George Russell revealed that he lost the functionality of his Mercedes boost button during a thrilling conclusion to the Azerbaijan Grand Prix. After a dry spell without a victory in Formula 1, Russell secured his first win in Baku by narrowly fending off Red Bull’s Max Verstappen, who missed out on his debut 2026 victory by just 0.196 seconds in an intense sprint to the finish.
Following the race, Russell admitted that he was without boost to help defend against Verstappen’s late surge and feared losing a well-earned win. “The first part of the race went smoothly as I built a gap. But after the Safety Car restart with Max right behind me, I knew it wouldn’t be easy, and he drove amazingly at the end,” Russell said during parc fermé.
He added, “When the yellow flag came out because of Bottas’s crash, I eased off the throttle, and when I resumed, I realized my turbo wasn’t working, leaving me powerless. Max nearly caught me at the line, which would have been heartbreaking, but overall, it was an incredible weekend.”
Russell expressed his joy at returning to the top step of the podium, thanking his team for their unwavering faith and support through difficult times. “I’m very proud of how this weekend went,” he said.
Mercedes deputy team principal Bradley Lord, substituting for the absent Toto Wolff, commended Russell’s composure under immense pressure. “After the restart, Max was relentless, like a shark sensing blood, but George managed to stay half a second ahead in the critical sector, despite Max’s slipstream threat,” Lord told Sky Sports F1.
He continued, “The tension was sky-high, especially when Valtteri crashed, triggering a double yellow. George lost his boost temporarily then, but luckily, the win was safe. Winning by two-tenths of a second is just enough.”
This victory marks a crucial turnaround for Russell in what has been a difficult season, cutting his championship deficit to Mercedes teammate Andrea Kimi Antonelli to 66 points. When asked about the improvement, Russell said, “It’s about gaining experience with my new driving style. Since the summer break, I’ve consistently improved and feel more like myself again, which is fantastic.”
Fan Take: This dramatic win not only ends Russell’s long-awaited drought but also reignites the championship battle, adding excitement and unpredictability to the 2026 season. It highlights how resilience and strategic driving under pressure remain key in F1, promising thrilling races ahead for fans worldwide.
Source: www.crash.net
