George Russell acknowledged his pace was “rubbish” in Austin on Sunday after he just about stretched the F1 title race to Mexico City next week.

Russell, starting in sixth, was given a five-second time penalty early on at the US Grand Prix for a clash with Oscar Piastri and then struggled for speed, coming home in only eighth place.

Mercedes teammate Kimi Antonelli , meanwhile, claimed his ninth win of the season and now only needs to finish ninth next week in Mexico to seal his first world championship.

It was another tough Sunday pill for Russell to swallow and the Briton, who was the heavy title favourite ahead of the season, admitted he “does not have the answers” to his issues right now.

“The pace was rubbish today – that's the long and short of it,” Russell told Sky Sports.

“Five second [penalty] cost me two or three positions, but the pace wasn't good enough when it needed to be. I don't know – just not being quick enough.

“I need to try and understand why it is.…