George Russell has acknowledged that Mercedes team-mate Kimi Antonelli has outperformed him throughout the 2026 Formula 1 season, but insists his own world championship ambitions remain firmly intact despite a disappointing campaign.
Russell has admitted that Kimi Antonelli has operated at a higher level than him this season, as the Italian approaches his first Formula 1 world championship at the Mexican Grand Prix.
Having entered 2026 as one of the leading title favourites, Russell now finds himself 123 points behind his Mercedes team-mate, whose consistency and performances have left the Briton fighting for second place in the drivers’ standings.
Speaking to the media in Mexico City on Thursday, Russell acknowledged that the significant performance gap between the two drivers had helped preserve their strong working relationship.
“On a personal level, Kimi is obviously a great guy, with a lot of energy. We’ve had no reason this year not to continue our excellent relationship,” Russell explained.
The 28-year-old believes tensions between team-mates generally develop through close on-track battles or racing incidents, situations that have been relatively rare between the Mercedes pair this season.
“I think a lot of rivalries on track start because of incidents or racing behaviour, and the truth is that he’s been operating at a higher level than me this year.
“So we haven’t found ourselves in that situation very often. There have been one or two races, but when it comes to the racing itself, we’ve largely kept to ourselves.”
Russell Struggling to Explain Inconsistent 2026 Form
Beyond Antonelli’s impressive performances, Russell remains frustrated by the unpredictable fluctuations in his own competitiveness.
The Mercedes driver began the season strongly before encountering a difficult weekend in Monaco. He then recovered with an impressive run of form in Spain and Austria, only for his performance to decline again at subsequent events.
“I started well. Then I came out of Monaco, which had been a difficult weekend for me, went to Barcelona and was fastest in every session, took pole position, and then another pole in Austria,” Russell recalled.
“Then my level dropped in the following races.”
The pattern has continued to puzzle Russell and Mercedes, with the British driver struggling to identify why he has been so competitive at certain circuits while falling significantly behind at others.
“After Baku, I was eighth in Malaysia, I can’t even remember. It’s quite strange, and we’re really scratching our heads a little. And it’s certainly not for a lack of trying.”
Rather than focusing exclusively on Antonelli’s achievements, Russell believes understanding his own performance variations will be essential to restoring his competitiveness.
“I’m simply trying to understand what made the good races good and the bad races bad.”
Russell also revealed that he has worked with sports psychologists for seven years, highlighting the importance of mental preparation in a discipline where the biggest challenge can often come from within.
“We’re not boxers fighting in a ring against another person. We’re fighting against ourselves, a bit like a golfer,” he explained.
“In qualifying, it’s you. I look in the mirror and ask myself what I need to do to stop having these poor performances.”
Russell Insists His Championship Opportunity Has Not Disappeared
Although Antonelli could secure the championship this weekend in the same Mercedes machinery, Russell refuses to regard 2026 as his last realistic opportunity to become a Formula 1 world champion.
The Briton pointed to the longevity of Lewis Hamilton and Fernando Alonso as evidence that he still has considerable time to fulfil his ambitions.
“I’m 28 years old. I see Lewis still being very competitive at 41, Fernando is 45. Lewis won the majority of his titles when he was in his thirties,” Russell said.
He also believes that even the most successful sportspeople experience periods when they cannot consistently perform at their highest level.
“I’ve spent more years of my life competing than not competing. I’ve had more years of success than relative failure.
“I don’t think any athlete, however great, has been able to perform at the highest level of their career every single year.”
Russell remains confident that his experience and determination can help him recover from the disappointment of this campaign.
“This isn’t the end of my journey. I’ve still got another 12 to 15 good years ahead of me.”
Russell to Miss Opening Practice in Mexico
Russell’s Mexican Grand Prix preparations will also be disrupted by a scheduled driver change during Friday’s opening practice session.
Mercedes reserve and test driver Frederik Vesti will take over Russell’s car for FP1 as part of the team’s obligations under Formula 1’s young-driver regulations.
The Danish driver has already completed two opening practice appearances this season, replacing Antonelli in Barcelona and at the Hungaroring.
Russell will therefore have to wait until FP2 to begin his own running at the Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez.
He is also expected to surrender his car for another practice session during one of the final five rounds of the championship to fulfil the remaining regulatory requirements.
Meanwhile, Antonelli arrives in Mexico with his maiden world championship within reach.
With 125 points remaining available and Russell trailing by 123, the Italian is firmly positioned to secure the title this weekend.
For Russell, the immediate objective is to rediscover the consistency that has eluded him throughout 2026, while preparing for another opportunity to challenge for the championship in the years ahead.
