George Russell faces a 43-point deficit to Kimi Antonelli. Will he turn it around?
George Russell has time on his side to overhaul Kimi Antonelli, but only twice has such a gap been wiped out over a season.
George Russell retired through no fault of his own at the Canadian Grand Prix, and showed his frustration as he stood at the side of the circuit.
With Kimi Antonelli fulling capitalising to win, the Briton now holds a 43-point deficit to his young teammate, who in turn has won each of the last four races. There’s more than enough time for things to change, but we’re asking you if they will.
Will George Russell overhaul Kimi Antonelli through the rest of F1 2026?
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Only twice has a 43-point gap been overturned in the modern era, with Sebastian Vettel turning a 44-point deficit into his favour during the thrilling 2012 season, and Max Verstappen brought an early 46-point gap into a second title in the 2022 campaign.
Verstappen oh-so-nearly smashed that record last season, reining in 102 of the 104 points he needed to overhaul the McLaren drivers by the end of 2025 as Lando Norris was crowned champion.
It is worth approaching this subject with caution, of course. We’re barely a quarter of the way through the season, and there is still so much to be decided yet.
However, with Mercedes emerging as frontrunners and Russell and Antonelli being outright favourites at this stage, the Briton said at the weekend that the title is now “his to lose” from this position.
So, our question to you is simple. We know that based on mathematics and time, Russell can overturn this deficit. But will he?
Momentum is with his young teammate, but the season is long.
It’s a simple yes/no we’re asking from you, and please leave us your comments to explain your thoughts, we’d love to hear from you.
Vote below!
More Mercedes news from the Canadian Grand Prix
Toto Wolff hints at future Mercedes team orders after George Russell and Kimi Antonelli battle
George Russell set Mercedes precedent as Kimi Antonelli reality bites
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