George Russell is losing more and more ground to his teammate, Kimi Antonelli, in the fight for the 2026 Formula 1 title. According to some analysts, however, the Briton can still turn the adverse scenario into fuel for a new attempt to win the championship next year.
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Antonelli’s victory in Monza reinforced the change of scenario within Mercedes. The Italian started at the back of the grid due to a penalty related to an engine change, but won the race after a recovery considered a high-level performance.
This achievement by the young Italian recalls Russell’s own trajectory within Mercedes. After surpassing Lewis Hamilton in his first full season alongside the seven-time champion and finishing ahead of him in two of the three seasons they competed together, Russell came to be seen as the future of the team.
Now, Antonelli’s rapid evolution has changed this dynamic. The Italian appears as the youngest title contender in history, while Russell faces a situation that requires him to demonstrate again his ability to compete directly with his teammate.
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Russell also faced some episodes of bad luck throughout the season. The retirement in Canada is an example, while in Zandvoort an internal team agreement caused him to finish behind Antonelli, despite having won the Sprint race and showing a performance considered superior throughout that weekend.
Still, Baku and Singapore could be opportunities for Russell to react. Last year, in Baku, he finished second despite facing health problems, while in Singapore he won the race. These results serve as a reminder that his ability has not disappeared.
If the championship deficit becomes too large, Russell can use the rest of the season to build a new push for the title next year. A similar situation example is Nico Rosberg, who after losing to Hamilton in 2015, ended that year with a winning streak and won the championship the following season.
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