Formula 1 strategist Bernie Collins has indicated that Mercedes’ internal driver dynamics have contributed to the 2026 championship remaining open. Collins suggests that early-season distractions between Kimi Antonelli and George Russell have provided rivals with opportunities.
After 11 rounds of the 2026 season, Kimi Antonelli leads the Drivers’ Championship with 219 points. Lewis Hamilton, driving for Ferrari, holds second place with 169 points, a 50-point deficit to Antonelli. George Russell is currently third in the standings with 160 points.
Further down the order, Charles Leclerc is fourth with 138 points, while McLaren’s Lando Norris sits in fifth with 128 points. Max Verstappen is positioned sixth, 110 points behind Antonelli with 109 points.
In the Constructors’ Championship, Mercedes leads with 379 points. Ferrari occupies second place with 307 points, and McLaren is third with 220 points.
The dynamic between Mercedes teammates Antonelli and Russell, both in their second season together, has been a point of focus. Incidents, such as a wheel-to-wheel battle during the Canadian Grand Prix Sprint Race where Antonelli was forced onto the grass, highlight the intensity.
Mercedes Team Principal Toto Wolff has addressed the situation, stating he will not permit a repeat of the internal rivalry seen between Lewis Hamilton and Nico Rosberg. Wolff has indicated a willingness to ‘take a driver out’ if their on-track battles compromise team results.
This directive followed the Spanish Grand Prix in Barcelona, where a battle between Antonelli and Russell for the lead allowed Hamilton to secure victory. Wolff later confirmed that Antonelli, despite being faster, was held up by Russell.
Since the Barcelona event, Mercedes has prioritized race victory, irrespective of which driver is ahead. Russell’s season has also been affected by multiple reliability and operational issues, including a battery failure in Canada and an anti-stall incident at the Hungarian Grand Prix.
Antonelli has secured six Grand Prix victories and six pole positions this season, while Russell has achieved two wins and four pole positions. Dutch F1 analyst Jan Lammers has suggested that Russell’s championship aspirations are now significantly diminished.
The championship momentum has shifted due to significant development efforts from rival teams. Ferrari introduced an extensive upgrade package at the Spanish Grand Prix in Barcelona, featuring a revised front wing, a comprehensive floor update, and modified sidepod bodywork. Hamilton subsequently won that race.
Ferrari continued its development push at the British Grand Prix, bringing an updated low-downforce rear wing, a revised diffuser, and exhaust modifications. Charles Leclerc then took victory at Silverstone.
McLaren also unveiled a substantial MCL40 upgrade package at the Hungarian Grand Prix, focusing on a new floor, revised rear wing endplate, and rear corner winglets. These updates were aimed at correcting the car’s aerodynamic performance. Lando Norris secured his first win of the season in Hungary with these revisions.
Collins maintains that the ongoing development war will continue to influence the championship’s trajectory throughout the remaining 12 rounds, where 316 points are still available.
Max Verstappen, currently 110 points behind Antonelli, has a history of significant comebacks. In the 2025 season, he overcame a 104-point deficit to Lando Norris after the Dutch Grand Prix, winning five of the final eight races before ultimately finishing second in the championship by two points. However, former Red Bull advisor Helmut Marko has expressed skepticism about Verstappen repeating such a recovery this season.
