George Russell acknowledged that Kimi Antonelli had an impressive start to the 2026 Formula 1 season. The Brit admitted that his Mercedes teammate made a ‘perfect start’ and took the lead in the championship after the first races.
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After three rounds, the young Italian is nine points ahead of Russell in the standings, boosted by two consecutive wins at the Chinese and Japanese GPs. The performance caught attention, especially since Russell was considered one of the title favorites before the championship began.
The Brit started the season well by winning the opening race in Melbourne and also claimed victory in the Sprint race in Shanghai. However, technical problems and the deployment of a Safety Car at unfavorable moments in the following races caused him to lose momentum, allowing Antonelli to take the spotlight.
Despite this, Russell downplayed any concerns about the internal battle at Mercedes, highlighting that the season is still in its early stages. The British driver also chose to praise his teammate’s performance, emphasizing the speed shown by the young Italian since they started sharing the same team.
“It’s great to have Kimi as my teammate. Of course, he is an incredibly fast driver, and has shown that since we became teammates last year,” Russell said during an IWC Schaffhausen event in Geneva.
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The Brit also highlighted Antonelli’s consistent performance in the first races this year: “This has been an incredibly perfect start to the season for him. I’m looking forward to fighting with him again in the upcoming races. I think everyone at that age has a lot of excitement and motivation for everything that’s to come,” he added.
Russell also recalled the start of his own career, highlighting the ambition that accompanies young drivers in Formula 1: “I remember when I was nineteen and chasing a dream, which I am still chasing today, which is to become a Formula 1 world champion,” he concluded.
With the championship still in its early stages, the internal battle at Mercedes promises to intensify throughout the season. While Antonelli tries to maintain momentum after a dominant start, Russell seeks to regain his pace and return to the direct fight for the championship lead.
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