George Russell's championship hopes have taken a significant hit in the eyes of RacingNews365 readers, with the majority now writing off his chances of catching Kimi Antonelli.
A poll put to readers asked whether Russell is still in title contention, with the Briton sitting 84 points behind his Mercedes team-mate after 16 rounds.
Russell's weekend in Malaysia ended in retirement after a power unit failure forced the team to shut the car down while he was on course for a podium.
The result left Russell pointless in Sepang while Antonelli finished on the podium, stretching the gap at the top.
To make matters worse, Mercedes has confirmed Russell will take a grid penalty this weekend in Singapore and line-up at the back of the field.
Asked to weigh in, 64 per cent of respondents said Russell has no realistic hope of winning the title this year.
A further 32 per cent felt his chances were hanging by a thread but were unwilling to call it over just yet.
Only three per cent of those polled still believe he remains firmly in the fight.
See the full poll results below!
Is the 2026 F1 drivers' championship over?
| Option | % |
|---|---|
| Yes — there is no way Kimi Antonelli does not win the title | 63.67% |
| Almost — but it isn't over until it's over | 32.96% |
| No — There is still time for Russell to mount a comeback | 3.37% |
Also interesting:
Join RacingNews365's Ian Parkes, Sam Coop and Nick Golding as they look back on the Bahrain GP in Malaysia, but also look ahead to this weekend's race in Singapore. The confusing and shocking start is a major talking point as is Red Bull's rise.
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