The Italian driver has moved 20 points clear of his team-mate after his win in Florida, with Russell enduring another difficult weekend after also missing out on the podium in Suzuka. The standings now favour the Italian, who holds almost a full race margin, while remaining fully aware that the title fight is still a long way from over.
Speaking after the race, the Italian highlighted the strong momentum he is currently enjoying, while stressing that the season remains long and unpredictable, noting that Russell is likely to be very competitive again in Canada given his past performances there, while also pointing out that he now feels far more comfortable and in control of the car.
“Obviously we’re living such a good moment. But as I said before, it’s still a very long season and there’s so many things that can change. George for sure is going to be super strong in Canada, he’s always been very strong there, so he’s for sure going to be back at the top. But I think I feel much more comfortable in the car, much more in control as well.
“I think we’re just going to keep trying our best. I’m going to try to maximise every time I go on track. Let’s see as well how Canada is going to be. Hopefully we can repeat ourselves like this weekend, but we’ll see also how the upgrades work. I’m really proud of the team, of the job they’re doing, and I’m really enjoying the journey.”
Photo: Race Pictures
How a Montreal win could see Antonelli rattle Russell mentally
The former Colombian driver also highlighted the unknowns surrounding recent upgrades introduced across the grid, explaining that while they can unlock more performance, they often alter the balance and behaviour of the car, meaning it is not guaranteed every driver will feel comfortable, leaving a key question over who will be able to extract the most from the new packages.