Former Red Bull senior advisor Helmut Marko expressed doubt over whether George Russell will ever have another shot at an F1 world title, or be considered a team’s number one driver again.

That scrutiny comes as Russell heads into the United States Grand Prix knowing that his very slim title hopes could officially end in Austin, with Mercedes teammate Kimi Antonelli marching towards the crown.

Has George Russell’s only F1 title shot been and gone?

A Mercedes junior driver, Russell spent three seasons with Williams before he joined Mercedes alongside Lewis Hamilton in 2022.

However, Mercedes struggled through the ground effect era, but the F1 2026 regulatory reset presented a fresh opportunity. Mercedes has indeed had both title fights, drivers’ and constructors’, under control.

Yet it is Russell’s teammate Antonelli who has emerged as Mercedes’ new star. While he would need the cards to fall significantly in his favour to wrap up the title this weekend, the Italian sits a near-insurmountable 102 points clear of Russell.

Even if he does not seal the deal this weekend, he almost certainly will become the new youngest F1 world champion.

While Russell will look to rebound and come back stronger in F1 2027, Marko has his doubts.

“Mentally, it’s certainly a massive setback and it’s a blow,” Marko said of Russell when speaking with Sky Deutschland.

“Russell is no longer the number one driver. Antonelli has quite clearly taken that spot from him. But Russell is one of the top drivers.

“I doubt whether he’ll ever have another chance at the world title or be given number one status anywhere.”

Focusing on Antonelli, Marko said the young Italian has “incredible speed and superb car control”, and while he is “still struggling a bit”, the way that he “outmanoeuvred George Russell” in F1 2026 is “truly remarkable”, according to Marko.

“And another thing: when he realises he can’t win, he drives to secure a position – and that’s also a sign of maturity. Astonishing for someone so young,” Marko added.

Russell believes that the new F1 2026 regulations created a perfect storm for Antonelli to thrive.

The Brit is happy with the work which he has put in to respond, but suggested that Mercedes’ fading dominance has masked the extent of his improvements.

“I think with these new cars and the tyres this year, his natural driving style, especially in the race pace, has been very strong, and just balancing those limitations,” Russell said of his younger teammate.

“I’ve always been a driver that; I focus more on the mid to the exit of the corners, so I’m quite aggressive on the throttle pedal, and I focus a lot getting on the power early. And for him, it’s the opposite.

“He attacks the corners quite a lot, and he’s often on the power later, which, with these new power units as well, is not necessarily a bad thing, being on the power later.

“So with how the car fell out, how the tyres fell out, and then how the power units have fallen out, it’s just this sort of perfect recipe of his driving style, which I had to adapt to deal with.

“So yeah, maybe I could have done a better job of foreseeing this earlier.

“I feel I’ve adapted very well. The thing is, the results aren’t there as much because, as a team, we’re not as dominant. Whoever finished ahead of the other at the start of the season would win the race.

“Now, Red Bull have won the last two, McLaren could have won three races, Ferrari have won two races. That wasn’t the case at the start of the year.

“So I think my improvements have almost come at the wrong time.”