‘Numb’ George Russell’s Formula One world championship dream plunges into jeopardy as Kimi Antonelli seizes on team-mate’s opening lap crash with Lewis Hamilton to take commanding lead after Belgian Grand Prix win

George Russell claimed he was ‘numb with disappointment’ but his pain-filled face told a different story after a first-lap collision with Lewis Hamilton ended his participation in the Belgian Grand Prix.

Poor George is getting used to using words to describe the slings and Silver Arrows of incredible wealth that he can’t quite understand.

His world championship dream is in danger and questions fill his confused mind. He cannot find an answer to everything that attacks him. Why isn’t he as fast as race winner and championship leader Kimi Antonelli in the same Mercedes machine?

Why does it experience dramatic speed losses in a straight line? Why are all the expectations he had as the pre-season championship favorite slipping away from him every week?

The story of his cameo at the spa further nailed these doubts into his soul. Starting from third he was cleanly away until he broke into an almost immediate run across the Kemmel Straight – a ‘great first corner’ as he wryly noted.

Going into Les Combes, a right-left combination, he fell back to sixth place as if stuck in molasses. He was slightly ahead of Hamilton’s Ferrari on this stage, but the two overlapped.

Russell crashed into the gravel after crashing into the Ferrari on the first lap at Spa.

Sunday’s result was a huge blow to Russell’s title hopes

His right-rear merged with Hamilton’s front-left. Russell turned toward the gravel where he had washed up on shore. In the cockpit, he held his gloved palms open as if in pain. He emerged physically unharmed, but was again seriously injured between his ears.

Hamilton received a hefty five-second penalty for clumsy footwork but finished the race in fourth place. This meant the seven-time world champion edged Russell, Antonelli’s closest rival, by 45 points. Russell is 50 years old at the top. This was the third time in 10 races that he failed to finish.

‘For whatever reason, in Turn One the battery decided not to charge,’ explained a bemused Russell.

‘I came out of the first corner 35 percent behind. Because of this and it didn’t charge, I had boost problem. The turbo wouldn’t right itself, so there was no power left and I went up to the top of Eau Rouge with zero percent battery, and frankly it was dangerous.

‘I got run over by three cars and I shouldn’t have been in this situation in the first place. That’s why I’m most angry. The incident with Lewis was a racing incident.

‘He was more guilty than me. But he did nothing recklessly or knowingly.

‘I was ready to fight the two guys in front of me until turn five.

‘It was a different problem than yesterday… but now it’s an everyday problem.

‘I am numb with disappointment. When it happens so often, you get used to it.”

This season has been a tale of setback after setback for Russell. Their setbacks are compounded by Antonelli, who, at just 19 years old, is growing in confidence with each race, and has hardly been shortchanged since recording his first win in China, the second stage of the 22-race season.

Russell’s specific complaint here centered on why he was suddenly losing power even though Antonelli was losing. It’s certainly not as dramatic when, indeed, the rest of the field is not.

Mercedes doesn’t have ready answers. Can they find a solution before Budapest next weekend?

With Russell in the paddock, Antonelli dominated the track. His only concern was that the Virtual Safety Car caused by the debris would give the Ferraris a cheap stop. Charles Leclerc luckily took the lead at this point.

But the Italian driver made the decisive pass on the Kemmel Straight with 10 laps remaining, which secured victory number 6 of 2025. Leclerc took second place ahead of Red Bull’s Max Verstappen.

Hamilton’s day was an eventful one. Having escaped unscathed from the clash with Russell, he and Leclerc were soon locked in a feud. They almost touched, but didn’t quite touch. Leclerc was touchy, and showed that he was lucky to escape reprimand when he touched McLaren’s Oscar Piastri.

Hamilton pitted with Leclerc and served his penalty there. After doing this, he was given the green light to go. The mechanic holding the gun to the left front tire was still in the way for some reason.

His right knee was caught by the accelerating Ferrari. He will have a purple sore from playing sports, but other than that he is unharmed.

Hamilton, who inquired about his man’s condition, would later confront the referees on charges of unsafe release (decision awaited).

Piastri came home fifth, one place ahead of Red Bull’s Isack Hadjar and two places ahead of his old friend, defending world champion Lando Norris, whose first title success Russell is trying to emulate. I wish he could just take a break.