GEORGE RUSSELL ADMITS ANTONELLI IS "EXCEPTIONALLY QUICK" BUT REFUSES TO CONCEDE TITLE
Kimi Antonelli secured his 3rd straight F1 win in Miami, leaving George Russell 43 seconds behind and 20 points down in the title race. (130 chars)
George Russell isn’t flinching. He’s not ready to let go of the story, even as Kimi Antonelli keeps grabbing headlines. Antonelli’s been tearing it up this season – three straight wins, all from pole – and it’s got people talking. Miami was rough for Russell; he finished fourth, over 43 seconds behind Antonelli. That gap isn’t just big; it’s glaring, and it’s putting some real heat on their rivalry at Mercedes.
Russell isn’t pretending things are fine, but he’s not throwing in the towel either. He gets what Antonelli’s doing and gives props where they’re deserved. “He’s a fantastic driver, and he’s been fast since day one,” Russell said. “You don’t win all those championships as a kid if you’re not quick.” He means it, but he’s also drawing a boundary. Russell still believes in himself, and he’s not giving up on the championship.
“I’ve still got confidence in myself, and I haven’t forgotten how to drive,” he said with a little smile. “It’s just a tricky patch, but we’re only four races in; there’s a lot more to come. We’ll sort things out over the next few weeks.”
That “tricky patch” doesn’t just mean some tough luck; it includes a 20-point deficit and a teammate who won’t stop rewriting history. Antonelli’s winning streak has changed the vibe at Mercedes, at least for now.
Russell knows all about momentum and how it doesn’t always stick around. “He’s got momentum right now; he’s flying,” Russell admitted. “But I’ve won championships myself, and I know momentum swings back and forth all year.” He actually doesn’t seem bothered by the points gap. “Honestly, I’m not even thinking about it,” he said.
It’s a calm answer from a guy who’s been here before, leaning on experience while Antonelli rides his hot streak. Russell keeps saying 'big picture, patience, not panic'.
“I just want to get back on top of the podium,” he said. “I had the pace for the first three races, but this weekend I was nowhere close. It could have gone very differently these last few weeks, and this weekend could’ve just been a blip. But some races in Japan and China didn’t go my way. That’s how F1 goes sometimes.”
Still, confidence doesn’t erase a 20-point gap, not if Antonelli keeps cruising. If Antonelli keeps piling up wins, Russell’s going to have to fight more than just the stopwatch. Losing to your teammate over and over starts to mess with your head. Russell began the season as the guy to beat, but the longer this keeps up, the tougher it gets to grab hold of the story again.
He’s holding firm, for now. But F1 doesn’t wait for anyone. What does Russell call “just a tricky run”? Well, if momentum doesn’t swing his way soon, it could become a whole lot more than that.
MAX VERSTAPPEN TAKES FRONT ROW IN MIAMI AS RED BULL UPGRADES DELIVER IMMEDIATE RESULTS
Charles Leclerc admitted surprise at Red Bull's pace after Max Verstappen finished P2, just 0.166s behind Mercedes' Kimi Antonelli.
Charles Leclerc expected Red Bull to bounce back, but he couldn’t help admiring Max Verstappen’s raw speed at the Miami Grand Prix.
Red Bull rolled into Miami with a big upgrade, looking to recover after a rough start to the season. Verstappen, a four-time world champ, landed his Red Bull in second during qualifying. He was only 0.166 seconds behind Andrea Kimi Antonelli’s Mercedes, nearly snatching pole. After qualifying, Verstappen said he finally feels like he’s back in control of his car.
Leclerc was impressed by the turnaround. “Honestly, it’s not shocking to see Kimi up there. Mercedes has been the quickest team this year, and Kimi’s been amazing these last few races,” Leclerc said. “But Max and Red Bull are coming back like this? That’s a bit more surprising. The upgrades clearly worked, and you can’t forget how strong that team really is. You never expect them to just sit back and accept a slow start.”
He added, “We figured they’d come back swinging, but to see them right back on the front row after struggling at the start… that’s something else. It’s pretty remarkable. Still, my job’s the same: beat those guys. That’s where my head’s at right now.”
Leclerc had to settle for third on the grid for Sunday’s race. Ferrari looked strong early in qualifying, but their hopes faded by Q3.
He talked about the changing conditions, but didn’t think that’s what hurt Ferrari. “The wind definitely played a part, but track temperature wasn’t all that different, so I don’t think that’s the reason,” he said. “Maybe the track changed, and we didn’t see it coming, or maybe pushing harder today in qualifying just made our car’s weak spots stand out more.”
Leclerc admitted he hadn’t dug into the numbers yet; he’d just gotten out of the car. “We’ll have to check the details to figure out exactly where we lost time.”
WET-WEATHER MASTERCLASS: WHY LEWIS HAMILTON’S 297-LAP FIORANO TEST IS VITAL FOR MIAMI
Lewis Hamilton hopes his extensive wet-weather testing at Fiorano gives Ferrari the winning edge as thunderstorms loom over Miami.
Lewis Hamilton jokes that he’s done more wet-weather testing lately than at any point in his career. Honestly, he hopes all that rain experience pays off this Sunday at the Miami Grand Prix, especially since the forecast is threatening thunderstorms.
Over the break, Ferrari put Hamilton through two days of wet testing at Fiorano. He says the SF-26 actually feels pretty decent in the rain. That could be good news, since these new F1 cars are still a bit of a mystery to most drivers when it comes to wet conditions.
Ferrari didn’t sit still during April. They squeezed in a Monza filming day where fans spotted their rotating rear wing in action, a feature last seen in China. There’s a buzz about a sizable upgrade package for Miami, too.
Hamilton was blunt about Monza: “I didn’t learn anything there; it’s just a filming day.” But his time at Fiorano was more valuable, since he got to test Pirelli’s wet tyres and actually talk with them about improving grip. Most drivers complain about tyres and grip, looking for any edge they can get, and Hamilton’s definitely got to know the wet tyres better lately.
He’s curious if all this wet-weather testing will actually give him an advantage in Miami, but in his words, "I don’t know. I’ve probably done more wet testing than ever. Barcelona was a whole day in the rain, honestly – not fun – and then those two days at Fiorano two weeks ago.” Still, he points out, F1 used to have some amazing rain races, and the SF-26 feels alright when it’s wet.
Hamilton’s teammate, Charles Leclerc, has his own take on these cars in the rain. He says you can actually go “much faster” at the end of straights when it's wet, mostly because you don’t need as much battery recharging. It’s a weird quirk; sometimes you’re barrelling down in the wet faster than you would in dry conditions. The corners feel good; the car’s light and responsive. But on the straights, closing speeds can get hairy, especially if drivers use different power unit strategies and visibility drops to nearly nothing.
Leclerc explains that in the rain, “We’re really just passengers. It’s not about bravery; you stay flat out and hope no one in front is slower than you. That used to be an easy assumption in previous years. Not anymore. We'll go all out and see what happens, but honestly, it’s not a great feeling. We still need to find a fix for that.”
