# Russell: 'You’ve got to laugh' at bad luck as F1 title drifts away

> George Russell admits F1 title drifts away after power unit failure at Bahrain GP.
- Title: Russell: 'You’ve got to laugh' at bad luck as F1 title drifts…
- Summary: George Russell admits F1 title drifts away after power unit failure at Bahrain GP. George Russell's power unit failure at Bahrain GP cost him a podium finish…
- Keywords: george russell, andrea kimi antonelli, mercedes, bahrain gp, power unit failure, championship deficit, toto wolff, sports, cars, Russell, 'You, got
- Source: Autosport — https://autosport.com/f1/news/russell-youve-got-to-laugh-at-bad-luck-as-f1-title-drifts-away/10861919
- Author: Ben Vinel
- Published: 2026-10-04T11:48:47+00:00
- Read time: 1 min
- Topics: george russell, andrea kimi antonelli, mercedes, f1, bahrain gp, power unit failure, championship deficit, toto wolff, sports, cars
## Bahrain GP in Malaysia
George Russell retired from the Bahrain GP in Malaysia late on after a power unit failure.
## Russell's podium chance
Russell surged to second behind team-mate Kimi Antonelli before being passed by Max Verstappen.
## Late race drama
A power unit failure took Russell out of the race before the final restart.
## Russell's reaction
Russell said he's 'almost got to laugh' at his misfortune but admits the title is 'exceptionally unlikely' to win.

> You've almost got to laugh," Russell told Sky Sports F1 after his third retirement this season, his second purely technical DNF.
## Championship gap
Russell's deficit to Antonelli reached 18 points after a power unit failure cost him a podium finish.
## Toto Wolff's response
Toto Wolff called the Bahrain GP his 'worst experience' and warned DNFs could cost Mercedes dearly.

> I'm so massively annoyed," Wolff told Sky. "I'm not in a happy place.
## Mercedes' future
Wolff said Mercedes will recover with James Allison leading the technical team to fix the power unit issue.
## Key takeaway

George Russell's power unit failure at Bahrain GP cost him a podium finish and widened his championship deficit to Andrea Kimi Antonelli to 18 points.