George Russell is experiencing a notable shift in performance against his Mercedes teammate Kimi Antonelli during the 2026 Formula 1 season. Antonelli currently leads the Drivers’ Championship by 81 points, holding 292 points to Russell’s 211. This marks a significant turnaround from the previous season, where Russell outscored Antonelli by 319 points to 150.
Mercedes entered the 2026 championship as a pre-season favourite, with the team tipped for success following the introduction of new engine regulations. Russell was initially expected to lead the team’s charge. However, Antonelli has secured eight Grand Prix victories this season, while Russell has achieved two.
Antonelli claimed his maiden F1 win with the Mercedes W17 at the Chinese Grand Prix earlier this season. He then proceeded to win the four subsequent races, establishing an early dominance. The Italian driver took the lead in the Drivers’ Championship at the Japanese Grand Prix and has since extended his advantage.
At the recent Italian Grand Prix, Antonelli secured his seventh victory of the season, starting from 19th on the grid due to a power unit penalty. He passed Russell in the closing stages of the race. This result extended Antonelli’s championship lead to 66 points at that time.
Antonelli’s eighth victory came at the Spanish Grand Prix in Madrid, where he benefited from a Virtual Safety Car period. Russell finished fifth in that race, half a minute behind his teammate. Russell has publicly acknowledged Antonelli’s superior performance this year, stating, ‘I’m not trying to be delusional; the reality is my teammate has done a better job than me this year.’
The 2026 season introduced substantial technical regulations, including a near 50:50 split between internal combustion and electrical power in the new hybrid power units. The MGU-K output has nearly tripled to 350 kW. Cars are also 30kg lighter, 100mm narrower, and feature a 200mm shorter wheelbase.
F1 journalist Mark Hughes suggests that Russell’s struggles, alongside those of Oscar Piastri, are linked to their driving styles. He notes that their tendency to drive to a ‘geometric ideal’ does not align with the low-grip characteristics of the 2026 cars and tyres.
Russell himself has indicated that his driving style, along with those of Piastri, Max Verstappen, and Charles Leclerc, does not suit the current generation of F1 cars. He believes the cars are better suited to the styles of Antonelli, Lando Norris, and Lewis Hamilton.
Former McLaren and Red Bull driver David Coulthard observed the performance swing, noting, ‘We’ve got Kimi coming alive and George is on the ropes.’ He commended Russell’s handling of the situation. Former F1 world champion Nico Rosberg described Russell’s current experience as ‘painful,’ highlighting the self-doubt that can arise when a driver’s performance unexpectedly shifts.
Mercedes Team Principal Toto Wolff has defended Russell, acknowledging that the driver is ‘taking a beating’ but affirming his belief in Russell’s potential as a top driver. Wolff stated the team needs to understand how to unlock Russell’s full performance. Johnny Herbert, a former F1 driver, has also commented on Antonelli’s consistency compared to Russell’s more ‘up and down’ performance this season.
