2009 Components 1 champion Jenson Button has backed George Russell to have the ability to deal with the intra-team battle at Mercedes.
The Brackley outfit has had a dominant begin to the 2026 season, successful each the Australian and Chinese language Grands Prix and the Chinese language dash race. Whereas Russell claimed the victory in Australia in addition to within the dash race, his team-mate Kimi Antonelli sits simply 4 factors behind him after claiming his maiden F1 win within the Chinese language Grand Prix.
“I feel he’ll handle OK,” Button advised Sky Sports activities F1 of Russell. “He is been up in opposition to Lewis Hamilton and sure, clearly, when he was team-mates with him, everybody’s like, effectively, ‘Lewis goes to be faster than him,’ so it is much less strain on George.
“So, it’s type of slightly bit the opposite manner spherical. He’s the driving force that is bought the expertise and gained a number of grands prix. However wanting on the manner George is and his persona, I feel he can deal with it fairly effectively.
“I am wanting ahead to seeing the way it does play out as a result of Kimi may be very fast. He is very uncooked, which typically for an older statesman, it is like, ‘Oh, how did he try this?’ It simply occurs. It simply involves them naturally.”
Former Aston Martin strategist and Sky Sports activities analyst Bernie Collins added: “However I feel there’s a bonus in that. If George appears at it the proper manner, there’s a bonus in that as a result of if he has all of it his personal manner and he isn’t bought somebody pushing him, he is aware of as quickly as he drops the ball, Kimi goes to select it up.
George Russell, Mercedes, Andrea Kimi Antonelli, Mercedes
Photograph by: Sam Bagnall / Sutton Photographs by way of Getty Photographs
“You understand, final week in qualifying, due to the problems with the automotive, he probably did not get the lap collectively, did not get it executed.
“And Kimi’s excellent there. In order that’s going to push George to essentially hold his recreation excessive, increased than probably he may do with pondering, ‘Oh, we have the quickest automotive, you realize, carry and coast slightly bit.’ However he will must carry on it.”
Antonelli went on to safe pole place for the Japanese Grand Prix whereas Russell battled in opposition to extra oversteer after set-up adjustments forward of qualifying.
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