George Russell was the pre-season Formula 1 title favourite, but came out of the first three rounds a frustrated figure. A win from pole in Melbourne on the opening day was routine but he was then hampered by engine issues in Chinese GP qualifying and then a terribly-timed safety car at Suzuka.
And to make matters worse his teenage team-mate, who few gave much of a chance of beating Russell before the campaign began, took advantage to win both races. Kimi Antonelli is nine points clear of the vastly more experienced Brit as a result. Not that Russell is hitting the panic button. Luck, he knows, tends to even itself out over a long F1 season.
He said on Friday: “No championship has ever been one after three races. If things had gone slightly differently in Suzuka, I think I could have won that race. In China, I obviously had the qualifying issue and I think otherwise I potentially could have been on pole there. So when I look at things rationally, I think I’ve maximised my results this year. And when I have a clean weekend, as I had in Melbourne, I know I’ve got the capability of being on pole and winning the race.”
Antonelli’s speed has been no surprise to anyone. But the 19-year-old’s calmness under pressure at the start of only his second season has left many impressed. And F1’s second-youngest-ever Grand Prix winner has spent this unexpected break in the season so far adjusting to his newfound fame.
The Italian said: “It’s been a better start than what we all anticipated and hoped for, at least on my side. Definitely, expectations automatically are a bit different now. But, at the end of the day, I still try to keep the same mindset as I had in the previous three races, in the first three races, just focusing on what I have to do, on the goal, and just trying to put myself in the best position as possible to then achieve a great result.
“What I don’t want to do, now that we’re in a good position, is start to think about the final result or a long-term result. I’m aware of the increase of support and following, especially after my first two wins. But I don’t feel more pressure. I know expectations are higher now because I’m coming off of two wins and a strong start of the season. But I’m just trying to keep myself grounded, to focus on the ultimate goal and how to get there.”
That goal is winning more races and the championship. Mercedes have tried to protect their young starlet by playing down any title talk, though Antonelli admitted: “This year is a massive opportunity. Both of us, we don’t want to waste this opportunity so we’re going to do our best. But we’re also very aware that it’s very important to keep a good dynamic in the team.”
Russell knows he has to win this title himself. The team, he said, will “100 percent give the same opportunity to the two of us”. Top F1 drivers, though, always back themselves. And Russell has shown a key trait in recent years that Antonelli has yet to prove he is capable of replicating.
“Consistency – good results on the bad days, victories on the good days,” Russell said. “That’s my goal, that’s what I’m confident in achieving. So I’m not thinking about Kimi, I’m not thinking about the championship. I have things to improve… if I iron those things out, we’re in a very different situation.”