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Montoya gives verdict on Antonelli vs Russell title fight

by sports••0
Montoya gives verdict on Antonelli vs Russell title fight
Juan Pablo Montoya believes Kimi Antonelli is currently better placed than teammate George Russell in the fight for the 2026 Formula 1 title. The Italian heads to Monaco on the back of a fourth consecutive victory in Montreal and now holds a commanding 43-point lead in the championship standings.

Montoya backs Antonelli over Russell in Mercedes title battle

The Italian driver has swept aside the competition this season so far, arriving far more polished and consistent than he was a year ago. He has combined impressive pace with remarkable consistency, and the results so far have fully reflected that progress. By contrast, Russell has endured a more difficult spell. The Briton missed out on the podium in both Japan and Miami, while a technical issue cruelly ended his race when he was battling for victory at one of his favourite circuits on the calendar.

The Briton now finds himself with almost two Grands Prix’ worth of points to recover. While there is little reason for concern given that more than two-thirds of the season still remains, it is nevertheless a very different scenario from what many had anticipated heading into the campaign.

Speaking to a betting site, Montoya suggested Antonelli currently appears better placed than Russell in the title fight, pointing to the Italian’s fearless approach and willingness to take risks. The Colombian believes Russell’s long wait for a genuine championship opportunity, combined with a series of setbacks, could make his challenge more complicated compared to his younger teammate’s.

“I believe Kimi is better suited to fight for the title because he’s bolder in this regard. He isn’t like George, who has been waiting for his chance for a long time; part of him might be asking: ‘What have I done to deserve all this bad luck?’. For these reasons, I think Antonelli is in a better position.“

Montoya also highlighted the importance of the next phase of the season, noting that the upcoming rounds should suit Russell’s strengths. However, he stressed that the Mercedes driver will need to make the most of every opportunity available if he hopes to close the gap and strengthen his championship bid over the coming weeks: “In five weekends at Silverstone, it will be interesting to see their progress. Many of the upcoming races should favor George, but he must seize the opportunity to the fullest.“

Photo: Race Pictures

Russell hailed as ‘a very worthy’ Canadian GP winner

Mercedes deputy team principal Bradley Lord reserved special praise for Russell following the Canadian Grand Prix weekend, despite the Briton’s race ending in disappointment. Lord admitted it was difficult for the team to fully enjoy its success knowing that Russell had missed out on a major points haul due to circumstances beyond his control. He stressed that the Mercedes driver had executed his weekend almost flawlessly and believed his level of performance had been worthy of a Grand Prix victory as well.

The Mercedes chief also highlighted Russell’s consistency and ability to deliver under pressure, pointing to the way he maximised the potential of the car across qualifying and race sessions alike. According to Lord, the Canadian Grand Prix weekend was further evidence of Russell’s growth as a driver and his ability to lead the team at the front of the field.

Russell

Photo: Race Pictures

“It’s always a funny feeling when one car has won the race and the other one’s retired through no fault of the driver. It’s very hard to feel truly jubilant when you’ve seen lots of points go begging. It was absolutely no fault of George’s; he drove brilliantly all weekend and I think would have been a very worthy winner of the Grand Prix as well after his performance to take two pole positions and the Sprint win.”