George Russell is falling further and further behind Kimi Antonelli in the World Championship—some experts are seeing signs that the Brit is slipping into the number-2 role
In Formula 1, George Russell drives with the number 63, but right now the number 68 is likely much more relevant to him. That’s how big his points deficit to Kimi Antonelli in the World Championship has become after his latest scoreless race in Monaco.
Although Mercedes continues to emphasize that it lets the two drivers race freely against each other and gives them equal opportunities, many experts now see at least signs that an increasingly clear pecking order is emerging internally.
The fact that the team got Russell a drive-through penalty in Monaco. “The fact that the team forgot to serve the penalty is typical of a number two in the team,” said the expert.
Russell had initially received a five-second penalty on Sunday, but because the team failed to serve it during the subsequent pit stop, the FIA increased the penalty once again—and Russell dropped to third place and completely out of the points.
Ralf Schumacher also believes that Russell is slowly losing ground. Antonelli, who secured his first “Grand Slam” in Monaco, “really made the Brit look old,” the expert said on Sky’s Backstage Boxengasse podcast.
Russell as the “perfect” No. 2 for Mercedes?
The gap in the World Championship is “a disaster” for Russell, Schumacher notes, “because, of course, everyone assumed he’d be in the title fight.” And even setting aside the purely sporting situation, the expert sees an internal problem for Russell.
“Of course, he knows that Toto Wolff loves Kimi Antonelli like a son. And he can see that in the reactions,” says Schumacher, who also clarifies that after six races this season, it is still too early to write off the World Championship just yet.
Nevertheless, it currently looks as though Antonelli will win the internal battle—even in the long term. That is why six-time Grand Prix winner Toto Wolff would also advise against signing Max Verstappen, should the opportunity arise.
If Antonelli continues as he has recently, “Toto Wolff would be crazy to bring someone into the team who is that strong and creates even more pressure. He’s been through that before with Hamilton and Rosberg; it makes no sense,” Schumacher recalls.
“A clear number two, which is exactly what George Russell is becoming, would be perfect,” he says. Russell has secured six Grand Prix victories so far in his entire Formula 1 career. Antonelli has already celebrated his fifth consecutive win in Monaco and could thus tie with Russell as early as the upcoming race in Barcelona.