George Russell reckons his Mercedes team-mate Kimi Antonelli is extra aggressive than him at this weekend’s Components 1 Miami Grand Prix as a result of monitor being very low on grip.
Antonelli stormed to his third consecutive grand prix pole on Saturday and certified 4 tenths above Russell, who solely mustered fifth having been second finest to his stablemate all through.
It began in dash qualifying when Antonelli took second with Russell sixth, earlier than the 19-year-old crossed the road in fourth and one spot above the sequence veteran.
Though a post-race five-second monitor limits penalty then dropped Antonelli to sixth, the championship chief nonetheless clearly has the sting over Russell forward of Sunday’s grand prix.
“I simply made a mistake on my final nook, final lap, I used to be about three tenths up,” stated Russell. “A bit of bit aggravated, however this can be a monitor I’ve at all times struggled with.
“Kimi was [sprint] pole final yr, I used to be P5, right now he is pole and I am P5. It is simply very low grip right here, you are sliding round lots, [the] tarmac’s sizzling.
“Much like Brazil [2025], Kimi once more was extra aggressive than me there. Whereas I a lot want the excessive grip circumstances, the place the tyre and the automotive is extra linked with the bottom.
“So, yeah, I simply wish to get by way of this weekend, actually.”
Andrea Kimi Antonelli, Mercedes
Picture by: Icon Sportswire by way of Getty Pictures
Russell heads into the grand prix seven factors behind Antonelli within the standings with the F1 sophomore trying to find his third, consecutive Sunday victory.
However that is arguably the primary time he’s really had the sting over Russell in 2026, as unhealthy luck on the Briton’s aspect price him within the final two rounds after successful the Melbourne opener from pole.
Talking extra on Miami not suiting him, Russell advised Sky Sports activities: “I am fairly a easy, exact driver, and that is at all times been my fashion, and on these tracks you’ve got simply acquired to be pleased with the automotive simply sliding.
“I just like the automotive on the sting, however that is such as you’ve acquired a set of 200 lap outdated tyres in your automotive, and also you go round and it is simply sliding understeer and oversteer.
“That is the identical for everyone, for what it is value, it is so sizzling, tyre pressures are excessive, the grip’s actually low, so it does not truly really feel that nice, whereas you go to tracks like Saudi, and the grip’s tremendous excessive, and it feels mega to drive, and that is why.”
His Mercedes boss Toto Wolff even held a relatively fascinating tennis analogy as to why Russell has been struggling this weekend.
The Austrian advised Sky Sports activities: “George stated to me that there are drivers who wrestle with sure tracks and right here the asphalt could be very easy. It is nearly like a participant that’s good on clay and one other one that’s higher on a tough floor.
“However by way of qualifying he made it and made it up within the instances and it is only a smidge lacking to P3. So I am actually joyful additionally to see that his improvement over qualifying on a monitor that he is not 100% comfy.”
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