George Russell and Lewis Hamilton head into the Monza weekend level on points, but both Brits face a tough challenge to catch championship leader Kimi Antonelli. After 12 rounds, Antonelli leads the standings by 59 points, with Russell and Hamilton tied on 183 points each.
Russell's title hopes fade
Russell was many fans and pundits' pick to win the 2026 world championship after winning the season opener in Melbourne. However, only one more Grand Prix victory has followed since, while junior team-mate Antonelli has become the star man with six wins.
Antonelli turned 20 earlier this week but has already established himself as the driver to beat. The two men chasing him are Mercedes team-mate Russell and seven-time world champion Hamilton, who both have exactly 183 points.
Readers back Hamilton over Russell
In a poll of 859 readers, almost exactly a third said they think Hamilton will go on to win the title with Ferrari this year. While 284 backed Hamilton, just 42 – less than five percent of those polled – said they think Russell will complete a comeback and win his first F1 crown.
Only 32 readers fancy Lando Norris to make it back-to-back titles despite his recent return to winning ways with McLaren, with 36 backing Max Verstappen, 18 picking Charles Leclerc and seven voting for someone else. More than half, 440 respondents, believe Antonelli's position is too strong to be beaten from here.
Monza grid penalties loom
Antonelli's rivals will have a big chance to narrow the gap next time out at Monza. Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff has confirmed the championship leader is set to incur a swathe of grid penalties at his home race, having lost too many engine components to poor reliability this season.
"Our calculations say that that's the best track to take it," the Silver Arrows boss said. "Obviously, algorithms don't take their nationality into consideration. We're here to fight for a championship and not get the most PR. So yeah, that's what we're going to do."
