F1 star George Russell left 'ashamed' after Red Bull prediction

George Russell, Singapore GP, 2025, generic — Photo: © IMAGO

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George Russell left 'ashamed' after Red Bull prediction

George Russell's polite nature came back to haunt him

Sheona Mountford F1 Journalist

Motorsport journalist working in F1 since 2024.

Wednesday 17 December 2025 22:57

George Russell's Red Bull prediction came back to haunt him at the end of the F1 season and he admitted to feeling 'ashamed'.

As the F1 grid gathered for the final time in Abu Dhabi, the drivers unearthed their predictions from the beginning of the season before any racing got underway.

Each driver taking part received an envelope with their early season predictions written down, with most having forgotten what they had guessed.

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Russell was especially taken aback by his prediction, which incidentally did come true, that Red Bull would not win the title in 2025.

"Red Bull do not win the championship," Russell said.

"I don't know why I said that? That was a bit harsh on them. I was probably so ashamed I didn’t even write my name on it."

Russell then showed the card to the camera, where his name was missing and jokingly questioned whether it was his prediction.

Mystic George strikes

While the prediction seems rather obvious now, at the beginning of 2025 Max Verstappen and Red Bull had won four consecutive drivers' title and enjoyed a dominant start to the ground effect era.

Yet McLaren emerged as the imperious force for 2025, with Red Bull's poor performance at the start of the season costing Verstappen a fifth drivers' title.

Alongside their 2025 predictions, the F1 grid also unveiled their goal for the year with Russell opening the envelope and reading the words 'to win the championship.'

The Brit delivered a deflated look to the camera, and said: "Failed at that one."

F1 Red Bull Mercedes George Russell