Russell says Antonelli’s title push has not strained their relationship

Before the Mexico City Grand Prix, George Russell said the contrasting 2026 seasons had not damaged his relationship with Kimi Antonelli at Mercedes. Antonelli can clinch his maiden title with a finish of ninth or higher; Russell is 123 points behind his team-mate.

Russell said Antonelli had been at a higher level this year and that they had been in that kind of direct contest only once or twice. He added that rivalries often start with incidents or actions on track; the two focus on their own racing and work with individual engineers.

Mercedes began the season as clear frontrunners, but it was Antonelli, not the more experienced Russell, who quickly built a lead in the drivers’ standings. Russell said his performance swings were unlike any season he had experienced and that consistency was his priority for the final races. His season has also included reliability issues.

At Baku, Russell qualified on pole by eight-tenths and held off Max Verstappen for victory. A retirement, ninth place and eighth place followed over the next three rounds.

Both drivers are set to remain at Mercedes in 2027. Asked whether he had a plan to beat Antonelli, Russell said he was focused on avoiding poor performances and repeating his best ones, rather than on a direct rivalry with his team-mate.