NicoHulkenbergAudi vs GeorgeRussellMercedes
RUS leads the grade duel 7–6 — across the 13 rounds both were rated in, the car stripped out of the equation.
Nico Hulkenberg vs George Russell: who is driving better in 2026?
the verdict, from the numbersNico Hulkenberg drives for Audi, George Russell for Mercedes, so the raw results are not comparable — everything below has car performance taken out of it. George Russell leads on The Index, 7.60 to 7.13 — P13 against P17, a gap of 0.47 of a grade point. Round by round, George Russell has out-driven the other in 7 of 13 races where both were graded. Nico Hulkenberg's clearest advantage is Tyre Management — 9.99 against 6.78. George Russell takes Attack & Defence back the other way, 8.26 to 6.69. In the DriverIndex Championship — the same season paid on the official points scale, but on driver merit — George Russell sits P15 on 28 points to Nico Hulkenberg's P21 on 16. Officially they stand P3 and P15.