Coulthard: Russell ‘got away with it’ - still unsettled by Antonelli

George Russell finally ticked off a long-awaited milestone at Silverstone by claiming his first British Grand Prix podium, but it’s unlikely the result will have triggered a change in the true pecking order inside Mercedes.

Former Formula 1 driver David Coulthard believes Russell left Silverstone with more relief than satisfaction, arguing that the Briton knows teenage teammate Kimi Antonelli is currently extracting more from the Mercedes package whenever the pair hit the track.

It was a race that masked an uncomfortable reality. While Russell celebrated a second-place finish, Antonelli's afternoon was derailed by a bizarre mechanical issue just as he looked capable of fighting at the front.

Running a strategy that gave him fresher tyres, the Italian had been slicing through the field at remarkable speed, at times lapping significantly faster than eventual winner Charles Leclerc.

That charge came to a dramatic halt when a detached front-right wheel shield compromised Antonelli's steering. Although he soldiered on, a track limits penalty and the mechanical drama dropped him to 15th at the flag, turning what could have been a standout drive into a bitter disappointment.

Coulthard: Russell knows Antonelli has the upper hand

For Coulthard, the final classification flattered Russell more than it reflected the underlying pace throughout the weekend.

Speaking on the Up To Speed podcast, the 13-time Grand Prix winner did not hold back in his assessment of the Mercedes dynamic.

"I think George will feel like he got away with it this weekend," Coulthard explained.

He went even further, suggesting Russell is fully aware that the momentum currently sits on the other side of the Mercedes garage.

"You can tell he's still not really settled in his mind. He knows that was fortunate. And I think he knows that, at the moment, every time they pretty much go on track, Kimi is getting something out of the car that he's struggling to do,” the Scot added.

The comments add another layer of intrigue to one of Formula 1's most fascinating teammate battles. While Russell remains the experienced hand at Mercedes, Antonelli has continued to impress in his sophomore campaign, building a 25-point advantage over the Briton in the drivers' standings despite Sunday's cruel twist of fate.

Russell keeping the faith amid ups and downs

Russell, however, has been candid that his Silverstone result came with mixed feelings.

Reflecting on the race during an appearance on the Nu Silver Arrows Radio Show, the Mercedes driver admitted he believed the podium order should have looked very different before fortune intervened.

"I must say it was strange emotions. Because as I said, I felt that a good result and a deserving result was potentially third place behind Kimi and Charles.

"Then obviously, Kimi was very unfortunate with what happened. Then Max had his issue. Lewis pitted under the safety car, which I think was probably the right decision.

“I think whatever you do in that situation, if you don't pit and it restarts, you'd be kicking yourself, why didn't you? And if you do pit, you lose a position. There's no right decision.

"So to then get back up to second, it was quite strange emotions. Because it felt like the whole race had gone against us. Then suddenly, I've been thrown back up into second place through nothing really we did."

• Read also: Russell admits 25-point gap to Antonelli ‘probably correct’

Even so, Russell insisted that difficult spells are part of every Formula 1 season and that patience has been rewarded.

"And that's how seasons often go,” he concluded. “That's why I didn't really lose faith early in the season when everything seemed to be going against us. And it always does turn. And as I said, it was a special moment to be up there."

Russell may have banked the trophy and the points, but Coulthard's remarks ensure the spotlight remains firmly fixed on Mercedes' internal battle.

With Antonelli repeatedly showing eye-catching speed before misfortune struck at Silverstone, the pressure is mounting on Russell to prove that his podium was more than a fortunate escape – and that he can consistently match the sensational rookie sharing the garage.

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