Russell says poor season will not define his F1 career

George Russell said one difficult Formula One season would not define his career and he still had plenty of time on his side.

The Briton started the campaign as the favourite but has been eclipsed by 20-year-old Mercedes teammate Kimi Antonelli, who is set to clinch the title in Mexico City this weekend.

"I've probably learned more about myself this year than I would have liked, in all honesty," Russell said on Thursday, acknowledging that Antonelli, who will be Italy's first champion in 73 years, had been performing at a higher level.

"But I remind myself I'm 28 years old. I see Lewis (Hamilton) still competing extremely well at 41 and Fernando (Alonso) at 44. Lewis won the majority of his titles in his 30s, and this year is absolutely not going to define my career as a whole."

Ferrari's Hamilton is third in the standings, one point behind Russell.

While Antonelli has won 9 of 18 grands prix this season, Russell has 3 to his credit and his season has been characterised by misfortune, with highs one weekend and lows the next.

He said also that his natural driving style had been hampered by "a few factors" involving the new era of power units and higher tyre pressures, especially on the rear of the car.

"It's not going to break me. If anything, it's going to make me stronger. I've been pretty proud of my resilience and how I've bounced back from very tough moments," he said.

"Through my lowest points of this season, I've generally bounced back really, really strong. Then I had another bad race after the good one.

"But I've been racing more years of my life than I haven't, and I've had more successful years than relative failures ... unfortunately, this year for me has come at maybe the time when I needed it most (to be at the highest level), but it's by no means the end of my journey. I've still got a good 12 to 15 years left in me."

Mercedes team boss Toto Wolff has expressed his confidence in Russell bouncing back, saying the current car did not suit the driver but next year would be a fresh start.

Meanwhile, Alonso doubled down on his criticism of driving standards among Formula One's backmarkers on Thursday as Williams drivers Carlos Sainz and Alex Albon hit back.

Double world champion Alonso, whose Aston Martin team are second from last overall and one place behind Williams, said after last weekend's US Grand Prix that there was "a very low level of driving and lack of talent" in the bottom third of the grid.

The comments came after a collision with Albon when the Thai tried to overtake at Austin's Circuit of the Americas, where Alonso finished 16th and Albon 17th.

"I still feel the same," Alonso told reporters ahead of the Mexico City Grand Prix at the Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez. "I think we all know which ones felt hit by that comment. So that tells you everything.

"I don't feel that all the incidents on lap one, all the touches, all the front wings that fly around — all these kinds of things — are necessary, especially if you are fighting for nothing at the back of the grid.

"It's not only Austin, unfortunately. I've been unlucky to be in that area of the race throughout the whole season, and I see things from the car that I cannot comment on here."

STRONG LEVEL UP AND DOWN THE GRID

Albon, speaking in a later press conference, disagreed.

"It's not nice to hear those comments in many ways. You're racing someone that you looked up to, but at the same time, I don't agree. It's as simple as that," he said.

"I think the level is strong up and down the grid. I think 10, 15 years ago, the back half of the grid wasn't the way it is now. We don't have pay drivers (those who pay for their seats) anymore. Hopefully, we don't cross paths in the race this weekend."

Teammate Sainz, a previous winner in Mexico with Ferrari, also felt the current grid was the strongest it has been in recent years and said he rated Albon very highly and enjoyed racing with him.