Kimi Antonelli disagrees with George Russell’s assessment that the 2026 drivers’ championship is in his hands. The championship leader, with a 43-point advantage over his teammate, stated that it is still too early to talk about the title.
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“If I look from my competitor’s position, you’re kind of in a position where you have such a big advantage that it seems like you can only keep it or only lose it. It’s his title to lose. My mentality is to enjoy every race, try to win every race, the same way I’ve done all season. I’m going to fight the same way, I’m not going to change my mentality at all, nor am I going to let it put more pressure on me,” Russell told the BBC.
When asked in Monaco about his teammate’s statement, Antonelli disagreed with the analysis: “No, to be honest, I don’t identify with that idea because it’s still very early in the season, there are still 17 or maybe more races left, and it’s still very, very early to think or talk about the championship.”
“To be honest, I just keep trying to improve myself, trying to do my best whenever I get in the car, trying to maximize the result, and then we’ll see where we end up at the end of the season. It’s hard to think about losing something you don’t have, I haven’t won the championship. So, how can I lose something I haven’t even achieved?” he replied to GPBlog.
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The Italian also stressed that he doesn’t feel additional pressure for leading the championship. “I don’t feel that much pressure. I feel quite calm about the situation because, unfortunately, it’s still very early in the season. I just want to keep doing what I’m doing, trying to raise the bar and try to win as much as possible.
‘And, of course, George is a very strong teammate and will make my life very difficult. But, on my side, I just try to deal with each situation in the best possible way and try to excel at what I do.’”
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