ZANDVOORT, Netherlands (AP) — George Russell is back at the front of Formula 1 with a new driving style and nothing to lose.
Russell started the second half of the season with a sprint race win and second place in qualifying on Saturday. He said he'd used the mid-season break to learn from the techniques that have taken his Mercedes teammate Kimi Antonelli to the top of the standings, and shed stress along the way.
“After the break I just feel way more relaxed. I don't think I've got anything to lose,” Russell said. "I'm just going to go out, enjoy it, and I don't even really feel in a fight. It's not mine to lose, it's mine to gain."
In nearly a month since the last race in Hungary, Russell got engaged — he joked Friday that he's faster for no longer carrying the ring around — and he took inspiration not just from Antonelli, who he said was doing an “amazing job” with the 2026 car and tires, but from the world of golf.
“If you change your golf swing you’ll probably take half a step back first before making those improvements. I think the break just allowed me to put those learnings into the back of my mind, come here this weekend, not fixating on what I want to try and achieve with the car and the tires but knowing it," he said.
“I’m really, really proud of that because it’s just building that toolbox of experience for me that’s going to allow me to be even better in the years to come.”
Russell's new approach has been supported by a Mercedes car with a basic design that's been stable enough to stay at the front even as the team hasn't brought the rapid succession of upgrades like McLaren and Ferrari have done. Mercedes' last major upgrade package was at the Canadian Grand Prix in May.
By contrast, Norris spent Saturday still getting to grips with an upgraded McLaren which lacked pace through slow corners in the sprint race before finding extra pace to qualify on pole.
“I think we do have a very strong car, we have a strong base. We clearly had a sizable advantage at the start of this season," Russell said after the sprint race. "Only time will tell if we have made the best sort of compromise in terms of when we bring these upgrades to the car."
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Mercedes driver George Russell of Britain in action during the qualifying for the Formula One Dutch Grand Prix in Zandvoort , Netherlands, Saturday, Aug. 22, 2026. (AP Photo/Patrick Post)
Mercedes driver George Russell of Britain reacts after winning the sprint race at the Formula One Dutch Grand Prix in Zandvoort , Netherlands, Saturday, Aug. 22, 2026. (AP Photo/Patrick Post)
Mercedes driver George Russell of Britain walks in the pit lane after winning the sprint race at the Formula One Dutch Grand Prix in Zandvoort , Netherlands, Saturday, Aug. 22, 2026. (AP Photo/Patrick Post)
Hull made a dream return to the Premier League after a nine-year absence, beating Manchester United 2-0 on Saturday to puncture any preseason optimism surrounding the 20-time champions.
First-half goals from Semi Ajayi and Nobel Mendy at set-pieces consigned United to a tepid loss away to a team that was promoted via the second-tier Championship playoffs at the end of last season and is widely expected to be among the relegation candidates.
United finished third last season to secure a return to the Champions League, rewarding interim manager Michael Carrick with a permanent contract as well as a new midfield in Youri Tielemans and Andrey Santos. Marcus Rashford has come back from a loan spell at Barcelona and entered as a halftime substitute.
They struggled to impress along with many other players in a lackluster team display that showed United — last a Premier League champion in 2013 under Alex Ferguson — still has far to go to recapture its former glories and is unlikely to challenge for the title, at least on this evidence anyway.
“We have a bit to improve on — it was never going to be perfect," Carrick said.
“One game doesn’t change the direction of everything,” he added. "It doesn’t change the direction of the football club.”
Everton had a famous fan in its stadium watching a 2-0 win over Crystal Palace.
Andy Burnham took in his first Everton match since becoming Britain's prime minister last month and saw Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall and Thierno Barry score goals for the hosts.
Senegal forward Ismaila Sarr, linked with a move away from Palace, wasn't in the matchday squad for Pierre Sage's first game in charge of the team. Palace lost Morocco defender Chadi Riad to what appeared to be a serious knee injury that forced him to be carried off on a stretcher.
Ipswich was another promoted team to win in the opening round of games, scoring in the 90th minute through Jack Clarke to beat his former club Sunderland 2-1.
Leeds also scored a late winner, with Anton Stach's 88th-minute free kick enough to dispatch Nottingham Forest 1-0.
The late game on Saturday sees Tottenham — fresh off spending $300 million, and counting, on new players — visit Brentford.
Arsenal began its title defense by beating Coventry, the second-tier champion last season, 3-0 on Friday.
On Sunday, Manchester City — demolished 3-0 by Arsenal in the Community Shield last weekend — looks to bounce back against Bournemouth and Liverpool travels to Newcastle.
Steve Douglas is at https://twitter.com/sdouglas80
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Center row from left, Britain's Prime Minister Andy Burnham, his wife Marie-France van Heel and daughter Rosie attend the English Premier League soccer match between FC Everton and Crystal Palace in Liverpool, England, Saturday, Aug. 22, 2026. (Peter Byrne/PA via AP)
Hull City's Nobel Mendy, right, celebrates scoring during the English Premier League soccer match between Hull City and Manchester United in Kingston upon Hull, England, Saturday Aug. 22, 2026. (Annabel Lee-Ellis/PA via AP)
Manchester United's Bryan Mbeumo, left, and Hull City's Matt Crooks in action during the English Premier League soccer match between Hull City and Manchester United in Kingston upon Hull, England, Saturday Aug. 22, 2026. (Annabel Lee-Ellis/PA via AP)
Manchester United's Matheus Cunha, second right, heads the ball during the English Premier League soccer match between Hull City and Manchester United in Kingston upon Hull, England, Saturday Aug. 22, 2026. (Annabel Lee-Ellis/PA via AP)
Manchester United's Harry Maguire, left, and Hull City's Oliver McBurnie in action during the English Premier League soccer match between Hull City and Manchester United in Kingston upon Hull, England, Saturday Aug. 22, 2026. (Annabel Lee-Ellis/PA via AP)
