George Russell has attributed his recent Formula 1 slump to a misguided attempt to replicate the car setup of his Mercedes teammate, Kimi Antonelli. The British driver, who started the season with a victory, has fallen 68 points behind the Italian teenager after a challenging run of races. However, a return to form in Barcelona saw Russell clinch pole position, outpacing Antonelli by more than three-tenths of a second.
Russell's Change in Approach
Russell explained that he had been 'copy-pasting' Antonelli's setup, which proved detrimental. 'These cars are so complicated, the tyres are complicated, the power units are complicated, and it's challenging to get on top of things,' he said. 'This weekend, I've just gone in my own direction and that's what I've done in the past for the last few years, and really glad to see it paying off.'
Feeling Like His Old Self
After qualifying, Russell expressed relief at feeling 'like my old self again.' He noted that the car felt comfortable, similar to his experience during pre-season testing and the early races. 'Miami was the first weekend where everything felt pretty challenging,' he admitted. 'More than anything, more than this pole position, I'm just glad to feel myself again, feel at one with the car again.'
Antonelli's Struggles
Antonelli, meanwhile, had a difficult weekend, missing the first practice session due to Mercedes giving a rookie session to reserve driver Frederik Vesti. The 19-year-old acknowledged his lack of comfort with the car but remained optimistic about the race. 'It's been a little bit of a difficult weekend so far, for me,' he said. 'But the long run was strong yesterday and that's definitely a positive.' He added that he would focus on a good start and using the tow to his advantage.
With Russell on pole and Antonelli starting behind, the title battle could take an intriguing twist as the season progresses.
