Kimi Antonelli and the hierarchies in Mercedes: surpassed Russell

For four years George Russell had the face of someone who had just arrived after the party was over. When the fun was over, enjoyed by others. He seemed disappointed, but not even that much. Because he had taken everything into account: coexistence with the most successful driver in history, the end of a technical cycle, the rise of Red Bull, the fury of Max Verstappen with whom he was often tempted to twirl and more often than not he decided to ignore it. Putting it off, sure that his time would come. This year, more than ever. He was certain of it, he knew well that he had the squadron behind him which in 2014, following the previous epochal change in the regulations, had left with a momentum and a performance unattainable for the other teams. It had been a matter of waiting, but not in vain. He had foreseen everything. As always, ever since he was a child and sent Toto Wolff a self-introducing email full of times, considerations and reasons why Mercedes should focus on him. And then when the big boss sent for him, he, a boy and yet very serious, showed up in a jacket, tie and power point: his planned career contained in a program to be presented on a screen. Conceived and then actually realized. Until this beginning of 2026. Until the party actually started again. Except to discover that he is not the king of the party. That others have more fun. George Russell had foreseen everything. Everything except Kimi Antonelli.

Wrong accounts

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Yet we are talking about someone who shared the garage for three seasons with the aforementioned most successful driver in history, Hamilton, often doing better than him, almost never actually worse. In terms of overall points, Hamilton surpassed him in the sprint and by nothing: 697-695, but in two out of three championships George finished ahead of him in the standings. The head-to-head match was equally balanced: 29-28 for George. The one in qualifying was much clearer, 39-29, with the merciless 19-5 in 2024 in favor of Russell. All this to say that it’s not him, George, who was arrogant if he thought he could keep Antonelli at bay. It’s Kimi who has been amazing so far. Especially since there had been no battle last year, Russell had more than lapped Antonelli: 319 to 150, and had given him 17-3 in the race and an even more overwhelming 21-3 in qualifying. In short, he had dressed up to arrive as the most elegant at the great 2026 celebration of new engines and renewed dominion. And now he doesn’t understand what is happening.

consideration

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He had certainly predicted that Kimi would grow in terms of his apprenticeship in 2025, but not so. And instead. Instead in Melbourne it started with a double victory, proving that the calculations were right: Mercedes superior, internal hierarchy respected. But it was a moment. As Time writes in the reason why it lists Kimi among the 100 most influential people in sport: “In 2026 he won’t stop winning and setting records.” So from +7 after the Australian GP, ​​Russell has gone to the current -66. With the terrible burden of having been so brutally overtaken not only in the ranking, but also in the team’s considerations. The forgetfulness of Sunday in Monte Carlo, when, during the tire change, no one thought of making him serve the 5″ penalty he received for speeding in the pitlane, was a bad sign. It cost him a drive through, a zero in the standings, having dropped him from a possible third to twelfth place. And many doubts. To be added to the bitterness suffered on lap 55 of the Monaco GP, when as he exited the tunnel he saw his teammate speeding past side. To double it.

bad luck

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After Kimi’s early successes in China and Japan, George spoke of staying “just focused on myself.” A series of unfortunate events must also be included in the deficit so far: the poor – from his point of view – timing of the Safety Car at Suzuka, the retirement due to a breakdown while he was leading in Montreal, the mix-up in Monte Carlo. In the meantime, however, he began to say that “the car perhaps suits Kimi better”. In Monaco he went further, acknowledging that “the whole season could become completely different from what he had imagined”. Not because of how much he intends to give up or follow as inevitable the trend of the last 5 GPs all of his partner-enemy. “Even if everything seems against it – he posted on social media – I remain positive and will continue to fight. Every single day!”.