George Russell’s Hungarian Grand Prix almost unravelled before the first corner, with the Mercedes driver dropping from sixth on the grid to the back of the field after triggering anti-stall at the start.
As the lights went out, Russell bogged down on the grid, allowing the entire field to stream past. By the time the opening lap was complete, the Briton had fallen to 21st and last, with only Sergio Perez, who had started from the pit lane, behind him in the early stages.
It was another frustrating setback for Russell, whose championship hopes have taken several blows in recent races. While title rival and teammate, Kimi Antonelli, maintained his position near the front, Russell faced the daunting task of recovering through the midfield on a circuit where overtaking is notoriously difficult.
To his credit, the Mercedes driver wasted little time making progress. By Lap 7, he had climbed back to 14th, picking off several cars as he tried to limit the damage to his championship campaign.
Russell’s recovery continued throughout the afternoon, with the Brit eventually crossing the line in seventh after a determined drive through the field. Although it was an impressive fightback, it couldn’t prevent Antonelli from extending his advantage in the Drivers’ Championship.
The Italian finished third to strengthen his hold on the title race, leaving Russell with more ground to make up heading into Formula 1’s summer break.