Guenther Steiner gives George Russell just a "5% chance" of 2026 F1 title

Steiner delivers stark verdict on Russell’s title bid

Former Haas Formula 1 team principal Guenther Steiner believes George Russell has only a five per cent chance of winning the 2026 world championship after another difficult weekend at the Hungarian Grand Prix.

Steiner offered his assessment on the Red Flag Podcast: “I’d give him five per cent.”

Hungary setback compounds Mercedes frustration

Russell’s seventh-place result also disguises the scale of the recovery required during the race. At the start, his anti-stall system activated and sent him tumbling down the order, forcing him to fight back through the field at a circuit where overtaking is difficult.

The incident is examined in greater detail in Mercedes’ explanation of George Russell’s Hungarian GP anti-stall disaster.

Steiner questioned whether Mercedes had been too quick to accept responsibility for the problem, while also stressing how fortunate Russell was to avoid being hit by another car as he remained stationary near the front of the field.

“Mercedes took some of the blame themselves – did they just do it to make him happy, or was it real?” Steiner said. “I don’t know, but I think he got very lucky to get away with that and not get hit by anyone.”

He added: “By sitting this far up front, for how long he sat still… he was lucky.”

Russell faces a steep climb after the break

Russell’s season can be interpreted either as haphazard or deeply unlucky. Either way, the immediate competitive picture is increasingly clear: he must establish consistency and take momentum away from Antonelli, who continues to deliver the kind of campaign Russell needs.

Antonelli’s podium in Budapest extended his championship advantage heading into the summer break. When Formula 1 resumes at Zandvoort, Russell will face a substantial challenge to keep his title defence alive.