George Russell must change his driving style at Mercedes to beat Kimi Antonelli for 2026 F1 title

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George Russell was backed as the clear favourite for the 2026 Formula 1 title, but after three races, Kimi Antonelli is starting to swing the momentum in his favour.

For many, the season opener was perhaps a taste of what was to come in 2026, as Russell dominated proceedings in Australia to win. Mercedes have built the fastest package, and the Brit looked in a position to control the championship.

However, maybe not even he expected what was to come. Antonelli has won the last two races from pole position and now leads the drivers’ standings heading into the one-month break, becoming the youngest driver to lead the championship.

How the championship looks after Japan

Which drivers are out of position heading into the break?

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The Italian controlled the field in China, fending off his teammate and the Ferraris for his first F1 win. David Coulthard told Russell to ‘reassert’ his authority over Antonelli in Japan and establish himself as the lead Mercedes driver – but he did not.

Instead, the 28-year-old struggled in the W17 compared to his teammate. Both drivers got a poor launch off the grid at Suzuka, but Russell found it tough to make up ground with the team’s set-up changes – it highlights that a change is needed from the Brit.

George Russell must change his driving style with the W17 to beat Kimi Antonelli

Russell struggled to find the right balance with the rear of the car in Japan, and the safety car did not help matters either, as he pitted just before it was deployed. Russell’s subsequent complaints did not go down well with Mercedes, with the Brit finishing in P4.

In the last two races, Antonelli has shown that he can be a huge threat to his teammate, especially at Suzuka. He appeared much more comfortable with the car, and as journalist Tim Hauraney says, it highlights how Russell needs to make changes to his driving style.

Russell could not extract the maximum from the W17, while Antonelli looked in control in Japan. If the former wants any chance of winning the title, which many expect him to do, he will have to adapt his driving style and get to grips with the new regulations.

Hauraney said via Nailing The Apex: “George had his hands full on Sunday. Some people may not know this, but since George had such a bad qualifying, the way that they started quali, they made some adjustments, mechanically, to the rear of the race car.

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“So, going into qualifying, obviously your car then gets automatically locked into parc ferme conditions, there’s only so much you can do to it from there.

“And so, they had to make some adjustments on the fly, they could while qualifying was going on. And that’s where one lap speed, one lap pace, that’s not for 53 laps of racing, where the car will change and it’ll evolve, you lose fuel, the feel of the car is going to change and evolve.

“So, for George, he’s got to change his driving style and how he handles a race car.

“His talent and his experience, that’s what I’m saying when those two things meet, and he’s kind of stuck in the mud when it comes to this and he can’t really take the car to where he knows it should be in terms of feel and pace, and he’s got to make do with what he’s got.”

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Naturally, with two teammates fighting for the championship, as history has shown, it can lead to headaches and disagreements within the team.

Mercedes know this firsthand with Lewis Hamilton and Nico Rosberg, and they could soon experience it again. Martin Brundle has urged Russell to treat Antonelli like Hamilton and see him as a title threat.

This could lead to issues within the Silver Arrows, as both drivers will be keen to beat one another and win their maiden title. It will be important for Mercedes to manage them appropriately.

Mario Andretti has told Mercedes to avoid McLaren’s approach with Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri, with papaya rules causing major controversy throughout 2025. They have to ensure that Russell and Antonelli remain free to fight, and as it stands, the latter might have the upper hand.