George Russell vows difficult F1 season won't define him, still targets world title

George Russell has insisted his challenging 2025 Formula One season will not define his career, as the 28-year-old Mercedes driver believes he still has plenty of time to win a world championship. Russell has been outperformed this year by his 20-year-old teammate Kimi Antonelli, who is poised to become F1's youngest world champion at the Mexican Grand Prix if he finishes ninth or higher. Antonelli missed media duties on Thursday due to a viral illness, but the Italian phenom remains on the brink of history. Russell, a three-time grand prix winner, acknowledged the difficulties but remains focused on the long term, pointing to the examples of drivers who won titles later in their careers. The British driver's resilience comes as Mercedes faces a shifting internal dynamic, with Antonelli's rapid rise putting pressure on Russell to respond. For Russell, the season is a setback, not a verdict, and he is determined to use it as fuel for a future title challenge.