The British driver acknowledges that his starts have been a weak point, he assures that a championship is built with consistency, not race by race, Antonelli leads with 72 points after two wins. Mercedes cannot neglect Ferrari and McLaren, who arrive with upgrades to Miami.
Mercedes' start to the season could not be more promising in terms of performance, but the internal battle between its two drivers has taken an unexpected turn: George Russell, who was the favorite for the 2026 championship after a solid 2025, is now second in the standings, 16 points behind his young teammate Kimi Antonelli.
The 20 year old Italian has been the big sensation, after winning the main race in China and repeating victory in Japan, Antonelli leads the world championship with 72 points and Russell, for his part, added a second place in Shanghai and a fourth place in Suzuka, results that reflect a gap that the Briton seeks to explain and correct.
In statements to various media, Russell acknowledged his mistakes and pointed out what his Achilles' heel has been in the first three races: "You win a championship throughout the entire season, and as long as I maximize my points at the end, whatever happens race by race, no one remembers it, that's my goal," he stated.
The British driver identified starts as one of his weak points, he has always lost positions at the starts, which forces him to come from behind and although the pace of the W17 is far superior to the rest, on circuits like Japan, where overtaking is more complicated, those mistakes have greater consequences, such as finishing off the podium.
"Consistency, good results on bad days, victory on good days, and that will continue to be my goal every weekend so I'm not thinking about Kimi, I'm not thinking about the championship. I'm focused on myself," Russell added.
The challenge for the Briton will not be easy. Miami, the next round on the calendar, seems to be a favorable circuit for Antonelli as it was there in 2025 that the Italian achieved first position in the sprint race and started ahead of his teammate on the main race grid.
Mercedes cannot afford to focus solely on its internal duel, Ferrari and McLaren are lurking. In Japan, an SF-26 and an MCL40 finished ahead of a Mercedes, a sign that the advantage is not absolute, both teams will bring significant upgrade packages to Miami, Ferrari, in addition, will definitively debut the 180 degree reversible rear wing, a solution that Red Bull has already begun to copy and test during the April break.
Russell knows it: if he continues to make mistakes at starts, he could lose valuable points in a championship that, on paper, the W17 has secured. Consistency will be the key and in Miami, the first thermometer of an internal fight that is just beginning.