(Motorsport-Total.com) – “That is quite a harsh slap for George Russell,” says Formula 1 expert Ralf Schumacher after the Miami Grand Prix weekend. In the podcast Backstage Boxengasse from Sky, he explains that the Briton’s championship chances this year are steadily fading.
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“George Russell is definitely a great Formula 1 driver and has just as much chance to fight for the championship this year with his experience,” Schumacher emphasizes. “Still, you can tell things aren’t running so smoothly anymore,” says the six-time Grand Prix winner.
“He questions himself,” Schumacher believes and explains: “I can somewhat put myself in his shoes, because you have phases where your teammate is faster, and then you want to get there at all costs, and you can see that now. He is tensing up.”
Russell started the 2026 season as a big favorite among many experts and bookmakers. However, the reality is that he only won the season opener in Melbourne. Since then, Mercedes teammate Kimi Antonelli has won three Grand Prix races in a row.
In the championship, the Italian is already 20 points ahead of Russell after Miami. While he won there again, Russell missed the podium as fourth. “I have to be honest, Kimi Antonelli completely outclassed George Russell this weekend,” says Schumacher.
“The gaps were huge, also in lap times,” says the expert, who explains that Antonelli “was driving in a different world with the Mercedes.” In qualifying, the 19-year-old took four tenths off Russell, and on Sunday he had a 43-second lead at the finish.
Why Schumacher sees Antonelli at an advantage
“I think he just goes out and enjoys driving and simply wants to be the fastest,” Schumacher says about Antonelli and explains that he doesn’t have to “put as much pressure on himself” as his teammate, who many had already seen as this year’s world champion.
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It will now be “interesting to see if he can turn things around,” says Schumacher about Russell, who himself said several times over the weekend that Miami is simply not a good track for him. And Schumacher admits that the internal balance of power could shift again on a different circuit.
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Indeed, the next stop on the calendar in Montreal is already considered a “Russell track.” The Brit was on pole there in 2024 and 2025, and last year he also won the race. Still, Schumacher believes the coming weeks and months will be “difficult” for the Brit.
“People will listen more and more to Kimi Antonelli,” he says regarding the team situation and also explains that team boss Toto Wolff currently has “his number 1” in the Italian. Russell must therefore be careful not to lose touch completely.
“I think if things continue like this, he will relatively quickly […] be in the number 2 position, a bit like Bottas back then,” Schumacher recalls the times of Lewis Hamilton and Valtteri Bottas at Mercedes. It’s not quite that far yet.
Nevertheless, after three consecutive defeats against Antonelli, Russell urgently needs a success experience again.
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