Mercedes Driver Says Teammate Holds Formula 1 Title Advantage
George Russell stated that teammate Kimi Antonelli holds a 43-point lead after Mercedes won every race this season. Friday practice in Monaco showed Ferrari ahead of the Mercedes cars.
The IndependentMercedes driver George Russell said the Formula 1 drivers' title is Kimi Antonelli's to lose after the 19-year-old secured four straight wins and a 43-point lead. Russell added that his own approach remains focused on winning each remaining race while the points buffer stays in place.
Practice session results Ferrari led the opening practice session at the Monaco Grand Prix, with local driver Charles Leclerc posting the fastest time, 0.226 seconds ahead of teammate Lewis Hamilton. Max Verstappen placed third, half a second behind Leclerc, while Antonelli and Russell finished fourth and fifth.
The session was briefly halted after Red Bull driver Isack Hadjar struck the barriers.
Circuit and regulation changes Monaco's narrow layout limits overtaking, making qualifying position especially important for Sunday's race. New 2026 rules include a speed-related electrical power reduction above 200 km/h and the removal of movable aerodynamic parts, prompting teams to add small fixed winglets for extra downforce.
The field expanded to 22 cars with the addition of Cadillac, increasing the number of entries in each session.
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