Martin Brundle shares the ‘clumsy’ Lando Norris example to inspire George Russell amid F1 title bid

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Martin Brundle thinks Lando Norris recovering from crashing into Oscar Piastri in the 2025 Canadian Grand Prix to win the F1 title can now inspire George Russell in 2026.

Formula 1 returns to the Circuit Gilles-Villeneuve this week for what is only round five of the 2026 season. Yet Russell is facing increasing doubts over his F1 title bid, after his Mercedes teammate Andrea Kimi Antonelli delivered a historic run of form to lead the championship.

Antonelli is now the only driver in F1 history to consecutively take their first three Grand Prix wins from their first three pole positions. And after Russell struggled around a circuit that he admits he does not prefer in Miami, the Briton faces a 20-point deficit to the teenage Italian.

If Kimi Antonelli wins the title, how much would it damage George Russell’s reputation?

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Martin Brundle thinks Lando Norris’ 2025 Canadian GP crash can inspire George Russell

Brundle, however, claims Russell’s problem is “more psychological” than mathematical, with Antonelli stamping his mark at Mercedes at the start of the 19-year-old’s second term in F1. So, Brundle feels the 28-year-old must stop his teammate “in his tracks” at the Canadian GP.

READ MORE: Lando Norris’ first F1 drivers’ title in 2025 was defined by seven key moments

McLaren rival Norris can also serve as a source of inspiration for Russell, as he retired in the 2025 Canadian GP after driving into the back of his teammate, Piastri – which left the Briton facing a 22-point deficit. Norris took full responsibility for crashing into Piastri in Canada last year, when he misjudged a chance to pass the Australian on the pit straight on Lap 66 of 70.

“There’s a long way to go,” Brundle told Sky Sports. “There are 482 points available in this championship. I don’t think the points deficit is that much of a problem for George Russell.

“For example, last year in Canada, Lando Norris had a clumsy accident with his teammate Oscar Piastri in the McLaren, and that looked like he’d hurt his championship chances. Then, he goes on to become world champion.

“This is only our fifth Grand Prix of the season, and it’s going to be a challenging one. It’s the first Sprint in Canada. It’s going to be cold. It might be wet on race day. It’s going to be quite the challenge.

“George needs to stop Antonelli in his tracks and get a few points back against him. But I think it’s more psychological than the mathematics.”

McLaren had an out-of-character off weekend at the 2025 Canadian GP, which Russell won from pole position for Mercedes’ first victory of the season. So, when Norris saw a chance to take P4 away from teammate and 2025 title rival Piastri, he tried to make an ambitious pass.

Piastri had already drifted over to cover Norris and defend the inside line for Turn 1, though. Norris did not have time to react to Piastri’s defence, so he rear-ended his papaya pal, which ended the Briton’s race on the spot. Yet Norris then dug deep to get back the points he lost.

Norris won the 2025 Austrian GP from pole after holding Piastri’s charge off during the race immediately after the Canadian GP. He ultimately got back within nine points, before a rare mechanical retirement in the Netherlands again left Norris with a 24-point deficit to Piastri.

Still, Norris refused to crumble and he outscored Piastri in the six rounds after his DNF in the Dutch Grand Prix to regain the lead of the championship. Ultimately, Norris won the 2025 F1 title with a two-point lead over Red Bull’s Max Verstappen and Piastri finished 13 points shy.