Lando Norris
McLaren
Mercedes
Red Bull
Ferrari
Williams
Racing Bulls
Aston Martin
Haas
Alpine
George Russell struggling to perform while Kimi Antonelli thrives with Mercedes has started to take a toll on the Briton.
Russell finished P4 in the British Sprint and secured P4 in qualifying, while Kimi Antonelli finished P1 in both outings.
The gulf between the two Mercedes drivers continues to grow with each passing race, as there is a clear sense of frustration brewing for Russell.
Name the biggest winner and biggest loser from Saturday’s qualifying session at the British GP 👇
Kimi Antonelli claimed his fifth pole position of the season at Silverstone!
Russell is experiencing unprecedented misfortune at almost every race weekend, but his performances are certainly not helping matters.
And after the qualifying session on Saturday, reporters within the paddock saw George Russell do something they’ve ‘really never seen.’
READ MORE: Martin Brundle and David Coulthard agree on never-seen-before George Russell moment at Silverstone
George Russell’s frustration over struggles against Kimi Antonelli led him to take drastic action
Speaking on BBC’s Chequered Flag podcast, Rosanna Tennant explained how a despondent George Russell was acting in the press pen after qualifying.
Russell was being followed by Netflix’s camera crew for their ‘Drive to Survive’ series, but in a moment of frustration, the Briton asked them to leave so as not to capture his frustration.
“He felt very dejected in the media pen. He actually asked the Netflix crew to go away. He said, ‘Thank you guys, enough. Thank you.’ I’ve never really seen that. He’s really not in good spirits at all.”
Given how Russell was being outperformed not just by Kimi Antonelli, but both Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc at his home race, his frustration was certainly understandable.
Russell was considered the favourite to win the world championship coming into the season. But Antonelli’s sudden rise to the top has completely derailed his ambitions.
READ MORE: Jolyon Palmer says George Russell is in his Lando Norris ‘phase’ as one major problem spotted
How is energy management affecting the spectacle at Silverstone? 🪫
George Russell cannot let pressure get to him if he wants to win a world championship
Russell’s frustration and dismay are definitely understandable, given how this was supposed to be his breakout year as a championship driver.
However, so far this season, Russell has been nowhere near Antonelli’s quality, whether that be due to his performances or bad luck on his part.
Antonelli certainly has his weaknesses as a driver. But for whatever reason, Russell hasn’t been able to exploit these weaknesses so far, only managing two Grand Prix wins compared to Antonelli’s five.
Despite this, Russell finds himself in the mix for the championship. If a turnaround is to occur, it needs to begin before the summer break for the Briton.
Receive exclusive F1 news and updates twice a week to your mailbox
