Russell says Antonelli now ‘under pressure’ in title fight

George Russell believes the momentum may finally be shifting in his direction in Mercedes’ increasingly intriguing title battle, with his Azerbaijan Grand Prix victory cutting Kimi Antonelli’s championship advantage to 66 points.

Antonelli arrived in Baku with an 81-point cushion and appeared to have the season increasingly under control. But a qualifying crash sent the Italian rookie into the race from deep in the field, opening the door for Russell to strike.

The Briton duly delivered his third win of the season, while Antonelli fought back to fifth. And although Russell remains firmly behind his team-mate in the standings, he believes the pressure is now sitting squarely on Antonelli’s shoulders rather than his own.

‘Much less pressure on me’

Russell sees a significant difference in their respective situations as the championship enters its final stretch.

Asked after Saturday’s race whether he now feels he has less of a target on his back than Antonelli, the Mercedes driver was unequivocal: “Yeah, for sure.

“There's much less pressure on me than there is him. He's had an incredibly flawless season.

“[Friday] was probably his first mistake of this whole season in a proper session, qualifying, race, and he still came home in P5 [in the race].”

That assessment reflects just how unusual Antonelli’s Baku setback was. The rookie had been relentlessly consistent throughout the campaign, and even after his qualifying error, he salvaged a top-five finish to limit the damage.

Russell, meanwhile, has suddenly given himself something to chase after a weekend in which Mercedes once again demonstrated its strength.

Russell refuses to obsess over the deficit

Despite closing the gap by 15 points in Baku, Russell is not pretending the championship has suddenly become his to lose.

His season began with victory in Australia, but his form subsequently failed to match Antonelli’s consistency, leaving Russell to admit that he had largely removed himself from the title conversation.

“I didn't really consider myself in this fight for a number of races, purely because my performance wasn't strong enough,” he said.

“I feel like if the season were to have started today, or since the summer break, I feel very much I would have been able to fight.

“Now I've got this big deficit. It can change quick. So I'm not chasing that. I'm chasing to win every race, and what will be, will be.”

That approach could take some of the weight off Russell's shoulders as Mercedes heads into the final races. Rather than trying to manufacture a championship charge, he is focusing on the more immediate target of converting his recent resurgence into more victories.

For Antonelli, however, Russell's Baku triumph serves as a reminder that the championship leader cannot afford many more difficult weekends.

The 66-point advantage remains substantial, but after watching it shrink by 15 points in a single race, the pressure Russell believes belongs to his team-mate has suddenly become a little more tangible.

Read also: F1i Driver Ratings for the 2026 Azerbaijan Grand Prix

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