George Russell needs to quickly find a way to overcome Kimi Antonelli in the 2026 Formula 1 season. This is what Sky Sports F1 commentator David Croft says.
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The young Italian is in an extremely positive phase at the start of the championship. In four rounds, the competitor won three consecutive – China, Japan, and Miami – appearing in the lead with a 20-point advantage.
Thinking about the championship situation, Croft highlighted that Russell may see his luck change with the updates on the W17 and the tracks that better fit his style. “If I were George Russell, I would like Montreal to be the stage for next weekend,” he said on the Sky Sports podcast.
“I wouldn’t want to wait a few weeks, dwelling on what happened in Miami and thinking about how Canada is becoming important. He won there last year, it’s a track where he is very strong. And Kimi finished on the podium, so it was a great weekend for Mercedes last year,” he continued.
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“But if George doesn’t beat Kimi – with the updates Mercedes is bringing – on a track he considers one of his best, and that Toto Wolff also considers one of his best, then the alarm really starts to sound.”
“There is still a long way to go in the season, but this is a crucial weekend for George Russell. He needs that dominant performance. But Kimi is in great form,” he added.
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