George Russell: Monaco GP to be more on the limit…

George Russell: Monaco GP to be more on the limit thanks to F1 2026 regulations

George Russell reckons this weekend’s Monaco Grand Prix will be more on the limit than previous editions due to the 2026 Formula 1 regulation change.

This year, F1 introduced its latest rules switch with changes to both the power unit and chassis, but the move has so far proven to be a very contentious topic.

That’s due to the increased emphasis on electrical energy in the power unit, which features a near-50:50 split between electric and combustion power, but the new chassis is the one undeniable positive of the regulations.

It is much lighter and nimbler as the regulated minimum weight has been reduced from 800kg to 768kg, partly paving the way for more wheel-to-wheel battles in the 2026 campaign.

That was witnessed last time out in Canada, where Russell battled with Mercedes team-mate and title rival Kimi Antonelli for numerous laps, having done the same with Charles Leclerc in Australia.

So Russell is relishing the challenge of Monaco this weekend, particularly as he thinks “we’ll be able to push the cars more to the limit this year than we could last year”.

George Russell, Mercedes (Photo by: Glenn Dunbar / Motorsport Images)

“Last year's cars were so big,” he added, “they were so heavy, and they were so stiff as well that every single bump you'd feel and it could step the rear end out of the corner, you could lock up easier and veer off into the wall.

“Whereas this feels more like a race car, it is more intuitive to drive. It's really taking away the power unit. So, when you come to these challenging street tracks, I think actually you'll be able to push the cars more to the limit, and that's more enjoyable.

“Also in racing, the battle I had with Kimi, I don't think would have been possible in last year's cars. They were just so big, they were just so challenging to go wheel to wheel because they were so stiff.

“You had less margin for error, whereas now you can put your car in more risky positions. So yeah, I think it's really good.”

Russell’s Mercedes squad has enjoyed a dominant start to the year by winning all five grands prix so far, but four of those have gone to Antonelli who leads the championship.

The 19-year-old holds a 43-point lead over pre-season favourite Russell, who in fairness has endured a string of bad luck having retired from the lead in Canada with a power unit failure.

Andrea Kimi Antonelli, Mercedes, George Russell, Mercedes (Photo by: Steven Tee / LAT Images via Getty Images)

But the F1 veteran isn’t letting that retirement affect him too much because there are always peaks and troughs in any title fight, adding bad luck should hit Antonelli at some point.

“It didn't take that long to get over the result, because ultimately it was outside of my control,” said Russell. “I went into Canada with one goal, which was to top every single session, and that's what I did.

“I was on pole in both qualis, leading the race, had a good battle with Kimi, was leading before the failure. I felt there was nothing more I could have done in Canada, so I ultimately achieved what I set out to achieve.

“As for the rest, that's part of racing, and if you look over anybody's championship wins in Formula 1 or any series, I don't think anybody in history has ever not had some bad moment at some point.”

Russell went on to use 2025 for his prime example, as Lando Norris cut a 34-point deficit to McLaren stablemate Oscar Piastri across the final nine rounds to become champion.

“Lando last year had a breakdown in Zandvoort, getting disqualified in Vegas, that's out of his control,” added Russell. “[Max] Verstappen in ‘21 had a puncture in Baku, and arguably you can say a crash in Silverstone, but he still won.

“So these things have always happened in motorsport. I don't think Kimi will be standing here at the end of the season saying he didn't have some bad luck at some point. That's just how the game goes.”