Mercedes Formula 1 driver George Russell explained that he and his partner Carmen Montero Mundt were forced to manually push a classic Fiat Jolly out of a Monte Carlo tunnel after the door‑less beach car stalled.
Tunnel incident and improvised recovery
Russell, who was wearing flip‑flops at the time, tried to bump‑start the Jolly by rolling it downhill, but the attempt failed, leaving the vehicle stranded. He later described the episode as a “little breakdown” before resorting to a tow with his Mercedes G Wagon, which he called “not a bad backup.”
2026 season snapshot: Antonelli ahead, Russell trailing
The British driver’s week of misfortune contrasts with his mixed start to the 2026 campaign: a win in Australia and a sprint victory in China followed by a series of setbacks, including car trouble in China, a safety‑car‑altered strategy in Japan, and a retirement while leading in Canada.
Meanwhile, teenage team‑mate Kimi Antonelli has seized the championship lead, securing four consecutive Grand Prix victories since the Chinese sprint. Heading into the Monaco Grand Prix, Antonelli leads Russell by 43 points, holding 131 points to Russell’s 88. Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc and Lewis Hamilton sit third and fourth with 75 and 72 points respectively.
Antonelli’s dominant form and Russell’s recent mechanical hiccups set a tense dynamic as the Monaco round approaches, leaving the seasoned driver with a sizable gap to bridge before the season’s midpoint.
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