# Mercedes Let Russell Down in Mexico City GP

> Mercedes admits failing George Russell in Mexico City race, with Antonelli securing 2027 championship number.
- Title: Mercedes Let Russell Down in Mexico City GP · Autoweek
- Summary: Mercedes admits failing George Russell in Mexico City race, with Antonelli securing 2027 championship number. Mercedes admitted letting George Russell down…
- Keywords: mercedes, george russell, kimi antonelli, mexico city gp, formula 1, world championship, 2027, f1 championship, nfl, cars, sports, Let
- Source: Autoweek — https://autoweek.com/racing/formula-1/a74311590/f1-mexico-city-notebook-mercedes-it-let-russell-down
- Author: Phillip Horton
- Published: 2026-11-02T16:08:38+00:00
- Read time: 1 min
- Topics: mercedes, george russell, kimi antonelli, f1, mexico city gp, formula 1, world championship, 2027, f1 championship, nfl, cars, sports
## Mercedes admits failing Russell
Mercedes admits failing George Russell in Mexico City GP, with Russell dropping to sixth after poor start and collision.

> Today was another race where we didn’t give him the platform to show what he could do
## Russell's championship position
Russell dropped to fourth in championship after losing to teammate Antonelli, who won the title.

> He skipped post-race media duties, for which he was fined
## Antonelli's 2027 number choice
Antonelli will keep his #12 for 2027, citing superstition and humility.

> I’ll stay with number 12 because, obviously, it’s a very special number for me
## Hirakawa earns first point
Hirakawa earned his first F1 point after Haas promotion following Alpine penalties.

> Hirakawa was promoted to 12th when Oscar Piastri was penalized
## Lawson recovers to seventh
Lawson recovered from pit lane start to seventh after Alpine penalties.

> Lawson cleverly picked his way forwards and profited from the misfortune of others
## Hulkenberg apologizes
Hulkenberg apologized after rear-ending Bearman in Turn 4.

> I got a bit too close to Ollie into Turn 4, lost some front downforce and couldn’t stop the car in time
## Aston Martin struggles
Aston Martin faced cooling issues in Mexico City, forcing Alonso to retire early.

> We knew that with the special high-altitude circumstance of Mexico City, we would face some additional challenges
## Perez reaches 300 GP milestone
Perez becomes seventh driver to reach 300 grands prix in Mexico City.

> It was great to be able to race competitively and fight with some of the faster cars
## Herta edges toward Super Licence
Herta is one point away from securing F1 Super Licence for 2027.

> Herta is now understood to be on 39, one away from the 40-point barrier
## Norris' team approved for F2
Norris' team LN4 Fusion approved for Formula 2 from 2027.

> They will bring considerable expertise, and I am confident they will make a valuable contribution to the championship
## Mercedes' 2027 number strategy
Mercedes will keep Antonelli's #12 for 2027, with Hamilton sticking to #44.

> I will stay with number 12 because, obviously, it’s a very special number for me
## Herta's Super Licence progress
Herta is one point away from securing F1 Super Licence for 2027.

> Herta is now understood to be on 39, one away from the 40-point barrier
## Perez's Cadillac milestone
Perez becomes seventh driver to reach 300 grands prix in Mexico City.

> It was great to be able to race competitively and fight with some of the faster cars
## Key takeaway

Mercedes admitted letting George Russell down in Mexico City GP, with Antonelli becoming youngest F1 champion and keeping his #12 for 2027.