George Russell sends confident Miami Grand Prix message after April reset

TL;DR

George Russell expresses confidence for the Miami Grand Prix following a successful reset during the April break. After facing challenges in China and Japan, he aims to leverage his earlier success this season.

Key points

George Russell is confident for the Miami Grand Prix.
The April break was a good reset for Russell.
Russell faced challenges in the Chinese and Japanese Grands Prix.
Kimi Antonelli is the youngest driver to lead the championship.

MercedesGeorge RussellKimi AntonelliMiami Grand Prix

Motorsport photo

Mercedes Formula 1 driver George Russell is feeling confident for the upcoming Miami Grand Prix after the April break has proved a "good reset" for him.

The Briton suffered two troublesome race weekends at the Chinese and Japanese Grands Prix. While he won the season-opening Australian Grand Prix and the Chinese sprint race, he finished second and fourth in the aforementioned grands prix.

Russell's team-mate Kimi Antonelli was able to capitalise on the opportunities and has since become the youngest driver to lead the championship after back-to-back wins in China and Japan.

F1 is currently in an unexpected five-week break between the Japanese and Miami Grands Prix due to the cancellation of the races in Bahrain and Saudi Arabia.

During an interview with IWC Schaffhausen at Watches and Wonders 2026 in Geneva for the launch of the Pilot’s Venturer Vertical Drive timepiece, Russell explained that the break had been a good reset and he is feeling confident.

"Yeah, feeling great ahead of Miami. It's been, for us as a team, an amazing start to the year. For me personally, it started off really, really well. Had a challenging race in Japan, but it's a hell of a long season, and the most important thing is we got a really good package beneath us.

George Russell, Mercedes

"I'm feeling good, feeling confident. This small mini break has been a good reset, and I'm ready to go for it again."

The 28-year-old driver added, "I really enjoy the circuit in Miami. It's fast, it's flowing. You then have that really tight section towards the end of the track.

Q&A

What did George Russell say about the Miami Grand Prix?

George Russell stated that the April break served as a good reset, boosting his confidence for the upcoming Miami Grand Prix.

How did George Russell perform in the previous races before the Miami Grand Prix?

Before the Miami Grand Prix, Russell had mixed results, finishing second in Japan and fourth in China, after winning the Australian Grand Prix and the Chinese sprint race.

Who is Kimi Antonelli and what is his significance in the championship?

Kimi Antonelli is George Russell's team-mate at Mercedes and has become the youngest driver to lead the championship after winning back-to-back races in China and Japan.