George Russell skipped the post-race press conference in Mexico after another mechanical failure torched what should have been a podium run. He qualified second but fell backward on the opening lap when his power unit's energy deployment went haywire — Mercedes called it "a de-rate out of nowhere" tied to F1's labyrinthine hybrid regulations. It's the latest gut-punch in a season that started with Russell leading the championship and has since collapsed into a war of attrition. He's now fourth, behind Verstappen and Hamilton, and the mental toll is showing. "I've never had a season where there's been so many blows," Russell said. "You get to a point where you think how do you keep picking yourself up when it's like every other weekend you're getting knocked down again?" He insists the year won't define his career, but with two rounds left, Russell's already looking ahead to 2027 — and a reset he badly needs.
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