Russell puzzled: Antonelli is increasingly putting pressure on the Mercedes star

– George Russell is facing a difficult phase in the 2026 Formula 1 season. After starting the year with a dominant lights-to-flag victory in Melbourne, his title ambitions stalled due to several setbacks. Unfavorable safety car phases, technical problems, and a retirement at the Canadian Grand Prix cost him important points in the fight for the world championship.

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At the same time, however, another trend is emerging that could increasingly become a problem for Russell: his driving style currently seems to harmonize less well with the characteristics of the Mercedes W17 than that of his teammate Kimi Antonelli.

This difference first became clear in Miami. There, Russell lost about four tenths of a second to the Italian in both sprint qualifying and qualifying for the Grand Prix. At the time, he attributed the deficit to the special characteristics of the Miami International Autodrome and its smooth asphalt.

Antonelli capitalizes on his strengths on street circuits

Similar patterns subsequently emerged on the street circuits of Montreal and Monaco. In the principality, the comparison clearly favored Antonelli. The Italian secured pole position, while Russell only took sixth place on the grid and was about four tenths of a second behind his teammate’s best time.

“Honestly, I don’t really know what’s going on,” a bewildered Russell explained after qualifying. “There’s obviously something about my driving style that isn’t helping the car right now.”

Particularly striking in Monaco was the problem with warming up the tires. This issue concerned several drivers in the field, but Antonelli seemed to bring the tires into the optimal operating window much more easily. Russell lost crucial time, especially in sectors two and three.

Mercedes searches for the causes

Mercedes is now analyzing the differences between the two drivers in detail. The focus is on both adjustments to driving style during the warm-up laps and possible changes to the vehicle set-up.

“There’s clearly a difference in driving style between the two of us. That was already the case last year,” Russell explained. “Back then, it helped me a lot; this year, it obviously plays perfectly into his hands. But that doesn’t explain why I was so strong at the beginning of the season and am now having such great difficulties.”

The Brit added: “You can clearly see that in the data. The way we drive has a big impact on the tires. He simply gets the tires into the right window better than I do. This gives him better balance over the entire lap, and speed comes more easily to him. I don’t know exactly why that is.”

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Barcelona becomes an important acid test

However, a different picture could emerge with a view to the upcoming Spanish Grand Prix. The Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya has several fast and long corners that put significantly more strain on the tires. The race is therefore considered an important yardstick for whether Russell’s difficulties are actually track-specific or not.

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At the same time, Antonelli is increasingly developing into a serious challenger within the team. The 19-year-old presents himself as significantly more consistent and mature than he was during his debut season in 2025.

Antonelli passes his biggest test to date

His performance in Monaco qualifying was particularly impressive. There, he had to assert himself against four-time world champion Max Verstappen in the fight for pole position. On a track where the smallest mistakes are immediately punished, Antonelli delivered a flawless lap and secured the first starting position.

“This is one of the most intense qualifying sessions of the year, if not the most intense,” Antonelli said after his pole position. “You’re constantly trying to get closer to the limit in practice. Finding the last two tenths isn’t easy because the walls are getting closer and it’s difficult to build confidence.”

Antonelli is extremely satisfied with his performance: “I felt great this morning and I’m happy that we were able to get the job done today. It was one of those laps we call a magical lap.”

Bono as an important factor in Antonelli’s development

The collaboration with his experienced race engineer Peter Bonnington is also developing positively. The long-time Mercedes engineer, who previously worked with Lewis Hamilton among others, seems to be giving Antonelli important impulses for his development.

With each race weekend, Mercedes feels confirmed in its decision to bring Antonelli into Formula 1 as early as 2025 and give him the opportunity to gain valuable experience in his first season. In addition to his obvious pace, the Italian particularly impresses with his quick learning ability and his capacity to immediately implement insights on the track.

The coming weeks, with six races within eight weeks, should show whether Russell’s current difficulties are merely a temporary phenomenon on certain track types or whether Antonelli has permanently established himself as the new benchmark within the Mercedes team.

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