Mercedes driver Andrea Kimi Antonelli continues to be main the championship race, however issues have gotten tight after two straight races with automobile troubles and the surge of George Russell.
George Russell has capitalized by reducing down his deficit, gaining a complete of 41 factors over the past two races.
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He’s now inside 25 factors of Antonelli, who will definitely have stress to ship a clear weekend on the Belgian Grand Prix.
Reliability and automobile points have change into a giant speaking level in regards to the Mercedes engine, given Antonelli’s two pointless races, although Russell has additionally grown in confidence with the automobile.
Barcelona – Catalunya Grand Prix, Sunday, Getty Photographs BARCELONA, SPAIN – JUNE 14: Andrea Kimi Antonelli of Italy and Mercedes AMG Petronas F1 Workforce is interviewed through the F1 Grand Prix of Barcelona-Catalunya at Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya on June 14, 2026 in Barcelona, Spain. (Picture by Andy Hone/LAT Photographs)
Barcelona – Catalunya Grand Prix, Sunday, Getty Photographs BARCELONA, SPAIN – JUNE 14: Andrea Kimi Antonelli of Italy and Mercedes AMG Petronas F1 Workforce is interviewed through the F1 Grand Prix of Barcelona-Catalunya at Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya on June 14, 2026 in Barcelona, Spain. (Picture by Andy Hone/LAT Photographs)
F1 specialists Jolyon Palmer and James Hinchcliffe debated if it’s the automobile beneath Antonelli or Russell that’s the greater risk to the Italian’s title competition.
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“I am unsure if George misplaced his footing or if Kimi simply actually solidly discovered his. You watch on monitor, you see the perspective of the automobile, you see his aggression in wheel to wheel racing. It is exhausting to guess towards him at this level,” Hinchcliffe stated.
“Proper now it looks as if reliability is his largest risk as a result of with out a huge turnaround from George, I do not see it being from the opposite aspect of the storage. Final 12 months we had been saying that George was most likely the second most full driver on the grid. He had such a stellar 12 months and a barely underperforming automobile.
“We’re a 3rd of the best way via the 12 months now, and I believe we are able to realistically level to 2 weekends, possibly three, the place George outperformed Kimi from begin to end. Even when George has a very good Friday and Saturday, by Sunday afternoon, Kimi simply appears to have slightly bit extra, and it is a numbers sport.”
Toto Wolff and Kimi Antonelli
Chinese language Grand Prix, Sunday, Getty Photographs SHANGHAI, CHINA – MARCH 15: Toto Wolff, Government Director of Mercedes AMG Petronas F1 Workforce and Race winner Andrea Kimi Antonelli of Italy and Mercedes AMG Petronas F1 Workforce have a good time in parc ferme through the F1 Grand Prix of China at Shanghai Worldwide Circuit on March 15, 2026 in Shanghai, China. (Picture by Dom Gibbons/LAT Photographs)
Who else can problem Antonelli?
At this level, Russell and his personal automobile are the most important obstacles in Antonelli’s manner. Lewis Hamilt sits in third, 32 factors down, however with a automobile that will not be a match for Mercedes.
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Charles Leclerc is in fourth, 71 factors down in complete. He may change into a contender if he places collectively a run of consecutive outcomes and if Antonelli suffers extra reliability issues, however Russel additionally holds almost a 40-point lead over him.
Max Verstappen, Lando Norris, and Oscar Piastri probably do not have the equipment this 12 months for a push.
