George Russell's 2026 Formula 1 title challenge suffered a setback at the Belgian Grand Prix when he retired on the opening lap following a collision with Lewis Hamilton.
Russell encountered an unexpected loss of electrical deployment off the line at Spa-Francorchamps before clashing with seven-time champion Hamilton. The incident left his Mercedes beached in the gravel, resulting in a DNF.
The retirement dropped Russell to third in the standings, 50 points behind championship leader Kimi Antonelli and five points behind Hamilton.
Former driver Juan Pablo Montoya said on the F1 TV post-race show that the low moment could benefit Russell long term. "I think personally, being in this low [moment] is a really good thing for him," Montoya said. "For this year it is not, but for the long term, he has come to the realisation that things need to get better."
Montoya also praised Mercedes for its supportive approach toward drivers.
