Damon Hill says George Russell should question his F1 title ambitions

The 1996 world champion Damon Hill believes George Russell should ask himself whether his ambition to become a Formula 1 world champion needs adjusting. Hill pointed to the occasions when Russell and Kimi Antonelli were evenly matched and luck was not a factor: Antonelli repeatedly came out ahead.

Hill acknowledged that Russell had sometimes suffered considerable bad luck this year. Speaking to FOX Sports, he said being outperformed by someone clearly faster can make it difficult to keep pursuing a world title.

Russell waited eight seasons for a car capable of fighting for the title, and Mercedes delivered a strong W17 in 2026. Antonelli showed his speed early in the season and regularly got the better of his teammate. Many had seen Russell’s experience as making him the early-season favorite, but Antonelli now appears on course for the championship.

Hill went further still: based on what he had seen so far, he considered Antonelli the best of the lot.