How Kimi Antonelli destroyed George Russell

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George Russell had a clear edge over Kimi Antonelli in their first season as Mercedes F1 team-mates last year - but when Mercedes delivered a title-calibre car for the new 2026 regulations, that edge completely evaporated.

Antonelli's early coronation reflects an unexpected and shocking level of dominance over his more experienced team-mate this year, particularly in race pace.

But this doesn't just come from nowhere. So where was Russell wrong-footed? What is it really about his cornering style that disadvantaged him this year, while Antonelli soared? And why was the gap so much more pronounced in race stints than in qualifying?

Watch on for the most complete explainer of the massive Russell-Antonelli swing in 2026.

0:00 A crushing defeat
2:22 The head-to-head numbers
3:35 Cornering styles
6:45 Why Russell's race pace is worse
9:13 Incredible second-year step
12:06 What changes in 2027

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