George Russell had plenty of reasons to celebrate after Sunday’s Sao Paulo Grand Prix despite finishing fourth at Interlagos. The Mercedes driver overcame a tough outing that included a spin while exiting the pit lane, but he helped his team secure the 2026 Constructors’ Championship, bringing an end to a four-year losing streak for the Silver Arrows.
In a video shared by Mercedes on Instagram, Russell acknowledged that it has been a difficult campaign on a personal level but expressed immense pride in the team’s achievement.
“It was a tough day for us as a team, but the most important was just bringing it home, so we’ll definitely enjoy this moment because it’s been a year of a lot of lows for me, a few number of highs, but just being part of this team…” Russell said.
“Just seeing the spirit we have and the belief in one another is really, really special. This is what it’s about, you know? So we’re gonna enjoy the moment.”
George Russell also acknowledged the growing competition from McLaren, Ferrari, and Red Bull. All three teams have shown pace and improved performance in the second half of the season.
The Briton started the 2026 campaign on a high note with a win in the opening race in Australia and a sprint win in China. However, his championship hopes quickly unraveled due to a combination of reliability issues, software glitches, and a string of difficult race weekends.
George Russell Reflects on Mercedes’ ‘Four Tough Years’
Mercedes’ 2026 championship carried additional significance given the team’s difficult journey over the previous four seasons.
George Russell described the achievement as particularly special because of the resilience shown by everyone associated with the team. The 28-year-old also highlighted the emotional significance for employees who had experienced Mercedes’ previous eight championship-winning years as well as those who were celebrating their first title with the team.
“Absolutely very special,” Russell said, expressing his emotion about the team’s championship. “It’s been four tough years for the team, with so much hard work, resilience.”
“So many team members who were there for the glory years before and then the four years of struggle. But also so many team members who, you know, as me, (had their) first Constructors’ championship.
“Really special to see and just, you know, seeing everyone on the podium, just how much it means to them; that’s just such a small percentage of the team.”
Mercedes Wins Its Ninth Constructors’ Championship
Mercedes has earned the 2026 constructors’ crown with three rounds to spare. They now sit 142 points over Ferrari in the standings.
The 2026 season marked a dominant year for the Silver Arrows. The team secured a combined 12 Grand Prix victories and four Sprint wins in 20 races. The strong performances helped the team to return to the top of F1 and establish itself as the benchmark to beat in the following year.
Since Toto Wolff took over as team principal in 2013, Mercedes has gone through a remarkable period of dominance, winning eight consecutive constructors’ championships between 2014 and 2021 and seven drivers’ titles before winning both titles again this year.
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