George Russell fires criticism at F1 rivals: 'It's not right'

George Russell has criticised rival F1 teams for “trying to slow” Mercedes down at the start of the 2026 season.

The Brackley-based squad has enjoyed a positive start to the campaign with a duo of 1-2 finishes across the opening two rounds.

However, it has faced scrutiny from other squads, particularly regarding the compression ratio saga, which dominated headlines in the build-up to the new season.

The FIA has since ruled that Mercedes must make a change to its engine from June 1.

It also faced questions regarding its front wing after China, but it has since clarified that the abnormal movements of the elements were not intentional, but rather an unforeseen issue.

When asked if he felt Mercedes has a target on its back, Russell replied: “That's just how sport goes on to be honest. That has always been the case.

"We have worked so hard to get ourselves in this position, and the best team should come out on top. 

“We've obviously had four years of struggle. There have been two other teams over four years who have dominated and won.

"Just because we're back on top, I don't think it's quite right that everybody is trying to slow us down, especially when you're two races in.”

Russell wary of F1 development threat

The scale of the regulation change this year means there is a large development scope for the teams in the months ahead.

Power unit manufacturers will also have another opportunity to catch up through the Additional Development and Upgrade Opportunities (ADUO) system, offering more chances to those deemed behind.

While Mercedes currently holds the advantage, Russell is wary of the danger of falling behind.

"It's a big old season, so things will change. We've already seen Red Bull is overweight, some things we saw in the press last week.

“McLaren haven't brought an upgrade to the car. They're still running their Bahrain package.

"We shouldn't forget these things. We do have an advantage right now, but I think we've just really hit the ground running and done a great job. 

“We hope it continues. But there is no guarantee.”