Has the 2025 George Russell ‘gone missing’ at Mercedes?

Damon Hill believes that the 2025 version of George Russell has “gone missing”, a George Russell which widely impressed.

At the same time, Hill says Russell’s championship-leading teammate Kimi Antonelli has “found something” in himself. In the opinion of Juan Pablo Montoya, Russell is the “faster” of the Mercedes drivers, but may be concerned over the Antonelli hype, and his own security with Mercedes.

Damon Hill questions George Russell’s recent Mercedes form

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Russell went into F1 2026 as the title favourite. Not only due to the fancied Mercedes package, but also in a nod to his consistently strong 2025 season, one which made many people believe that he was ready to win the championship. Russell has long since believed that he is ready.

However, it is Antonelli who has opened up an early lead at the top of the Drivers’ Championship. Mercedes’ Italian teenage star has won three grands prix in a row to move 20 points clear of Russell.

“He has found something in himself,” Hill, the 1996 world champion, said of Antonelli on the BBC Chequered Flag podcast.

“Obviously the talent was there. That’s why Toto [Wolff] and Mercedes have invested in him.

“But we did see a bit of a wild kid coming into Formula 1. When he went to Monza and he crashed and all these things, and he struggled a little bit last year.”

Seven-time grand prix winner Juan Pablo Montoya credits Peter Bonnington – affectionately know as ‘Bono’ – as a key contributor to Antonelli’s development.

Bonnington served as race engineer to Antonelli’s predecessor Lewis Hamilton throughout his six championship wins.

“I think Bono is a big part of it,” said Montoya.

“Bono has won so much with Lewis, and I think he’s moulding Kimi and working with Kimi, just bits and pieces.”

Antonelli claimed his third F1 victory in Miami, on a race weekend where Russell struggled over one lap and in the race to match his younger teammate.

Russell has openly admitted that Miami is not a track which plays to his strengths.

However, Montoya watched the respective approaches of the Mercedes drivers, and felt that Russell could have taken a leaf out of Antonelli’s playbook in qualifying.

Antonelli secured pole, while Russell was restricted to fifth on the grid.

“What Kimi has, which is really good, is the aggression level. He is determined,” said Montoya.

“If you look at him in qualifying, the amount of track he was using compared with everybody else, he was using the whole track.

“For me, I was kind of surprised when you look at George, and George has the videos, the data and everything, and he can see where Kimi is going and everything. At some point, you need to try it.

“Whether you’re comfortable or not is a different story. But you really, at least, need to stick it out there for a lap and see how you can make it work.”

Russell did start F1 2026 as seemingly the stronger of the Mercedes drivers. He won the Australian Grand Prix from pole, and looked favourite for the P1 grid slot in China until a technical gremlin disrupted his Q3, restricting him to second.

With Russell caught up battling the Ferraris of Hamilton and Charles Leclerc, Antonelli was able to scamper away out front and take a maiden grand prix win.

Antonelli had the one-lap edge over Russell in Japan, though an ideally-timed Safety Car gave Antonelli a big helping hand to victory.

Miami was all Antonelli, and Hill believes that we are not seeing the Russell of 2025 right now.

“I think the George from last year, I think he’s gone missing a little bit.

“I think that he had a little bit of bad luck and it put him on the back foot.”

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Montoya stated his belief that Russell is “quicker than” Antonelli, and offered his theories for why Russell may be struggling a little.

“Kimi is very good at hustling the hell out of the car, but George can put that ultimate lap [together] and be very clean,” Montoya continued.

“But the problem is, I think he’s more concerned about all the noise with Kimi, and I don’t know, maybe by just getting a one-year deal, his mindset is in the wrong place.

“Because when they give you a one-year deal, they’re telling you, we’re going to extend you, but we’re not sure about you.”

Russell has made it clear that he will be a Mercedes driver in 2027, as long as he performs this season.

With Miami in the rear-view mirror, Russell will look to hit back at the Canadian Grand Prix.

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Continue reading: Toto Wolff responds to ‘killer’ George Russell’s tough Miami weekend