George Russell and Kimi Antonelli seem to be two names that will come on strong in the fight for the 2026 Formula 1 season title. And for Jolyon Palmer, the Briton will let a more ‘determined’ side emerge in a battle against his Mercedes teammate.
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George started the campaign relentlessly, winning in Australia and winning the Sprint in China. However, in the main race in Shanghai, it was the Italian who won, repeating the feat in Japan and now becoming the youngest leader of the standings in Formula 1 history.
With Mercedes emerging as this year’s favorite, Palmer believes the fight will be intense internally. “I think George is still at an advantage,” he said during the F1 Nation podcast, debating with James Hinchcliffe and Tom Clarkson whether in 2026 the German team could revive a Nico Rosberg vs. Lewis Hamilton style clash.
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“I disagree that George is not at the same level as Rosberg and Hamilton. I have seen him race since the junior categories and I know he has incredible grit. If he is under pressure and there is a title at stake, he certainly has everything to give his best and come out victorious,” he added.
“I don’t think he’s necessarily going to be nice to Kimi all the time. So, it all depends on what Kimi is like, and we haven’t seen enough of that yet, have we?” he concluded.
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