The Antonelli-Russell Pair
Mercedes started the 2026 season as the car to beat and this gave the favorite status to George Russell, who had been waiting for years for the chance to drive a world championship car.
But the course of the 11 races held so far has certainly not smiled on the Brit, who has often been beaten by Andrea Kimi Antonelli.
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The young Bolognese driver, after the apprenticeship in 2025, has blossomed, recording 6 wins and 6 pole positions, which make him firmly the leader of the championship with 219 points. Russell, held back by a less than optimal feeling with the W17 and numerous technical and reliability problems, is chasing at 160.
The Internal Duel
Especially in Canada the duel between Antonelli and Russell was very heated, both in the Sprint and in the GP, although the Englishman was then forced to retire due to reliability problems.
However, there is satisfaction within Mercedes for the dynamic of respect and collaboration that has been established between their drivers.
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It was told by Bradley Lord, vice team principal of the Silver Arrows: “The way they work together is impressive. We have seen in F1 how tense relationships between teammates can become. George and Kimi want to fight each other, because it is in the nature of this sport, but it is a healthy rivalry“.
Lord then continued: “Between them there are no power games or hidden strategies. They are both focused on making the most of the opportunity the team has given them. Of course, they care about the drivers’ championship, but first of all they are focused on bringing results for the constructors’ championship to help the team win”.
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