Nigel Mansell delivers verdict on Russell, Hamilton and Antonelli

Nigel Mansell has delivered his verdict on F1’s two leading British drivers, George Russell and Lewis Hamilton, while also highlighting Kimi Antonelli as the standout rising star.

Russell has been in strong form with Mercedes, while Hamilton has also looked reinvigorated in his Ferrari campaign, but Mansell suggested both could ultimately be eclipsed by Antonelli as the season develops.

Nigel Mansell backs Kimi Antonelli over George Russell and Lewis Hamilton

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Although the beginning of this season’s championship has seen thrilling Mercedes versus Ferrari battles play out on track, that’s been largely in the first half of each event – if not even in the opening laps alone.

Mercedes’ engine has been taken to task by Ferrari’s launches, but as soon as the W17 breaks clear of ‘overtake mode’, it peels off into the distance.

Russell was 15 seconds ahead of the nearest Ferrari in Australia, with Antonelli 25s ahead of Lewis Hamilton in China and 13s ahead of Oscar Piastri in Japan.

It’s meant after three rounds, including an additional eight points in the mix for the Sprint in China, Antonelli is leading the Drivers’ standings on 72 points, nine ahead of pre-season favourite Russell, and 23 up on Leclerc. Hamilton is a further eight adrift.

However, this season is only three races in to what is now a 22-race campaign.

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Between the usual development war on the chassis side and the FIA’s Additional Development and Upgrade Opportunities (ADUO) programme to address engine disparity, a lot could still change.

For now, though, it’s Mercedes v Mercedes for the Drivers’ title – and Mansell reckons it’s not Russell, but Antonelli, who is the fans’ favourite.

“George is a great driver, and it’s sometimes how the chips fall,” he told Sky News.

“Sometimes you have a bit of luck, and sometimes you don’t. It’s a long season, but you’ve got to lead by incredible focus. I’ll never forget with Riccardo Patrese in ’92 that he thought I had a special car.

“It’s a long season, even back then, and so we swapped qualifying cars at Sao Paulo early in, and I got Sir Frank [Williams] and Patrick [Head] to agree with that, because I was two seconds a lap quicker than him. And his car, there was nothing wrong with it.

“And long story short, the first lap I went out in his car, I was a second and a half quicker, straight away quicker than him in his car, and sorted that out. And you stamp your authority. The point I want to say is [that] you stamp your authority.

“And getting back to the Mercedes team, you have to stamp your authority, and obviously Kimi has done a great job. He’s young. Everyone’s pulling for him. So, it’s going to be exciting to watch, isn’t it?”

Mercedes, though, may not have it all its own way as Ferrari is already knocking on the door and could be helped by the FIA’s ADUO programme, with the first round of updates reportedly permitted after the Miami Grand Prix.

“Lewis is fired up again,” Mansell said. “Lewis has had a brilliant career and it’s fantastic what he’s doing. He’s now reinvigorated.

“Ferrari has done a fabulous job over the winter. They’re there or thereabouts, Mercedes are the forerunners and McLaren is going to be there too.”

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