Mercedes chief says Russell is 'staring down the barrel' at Antonelli's pace
Photo: Race Pictures
Kieran is a freelance Formula 1 journalist for GPblog, covering breaking news, live race blogs and feature content across the F1 calendar. An NQJ-qualified journalist with more than a decade of experience, he has previously written for publications including MailOnline, the Manchester Evening News and the Eastern Daily Press.
James Allison has praised George Russell’s honesty about where he needs to improve, while insisting the British driver is 'looking straight down the barrel' at the raw pace shown by Kimi Antonelli this season.
The Italian claimed the 2026 Formula 1 championship, while pre-season favourite Russell has seen his campaign plagued with mechanical setbacks, driving mistakes and an overall lack of pace compared to his teammate.
Speaking on the Nu Silver Arrows Radio Show, Allison highlighted Russell’s willingness to examine his own performances as he now focuses on turning the tide at Mercedes next season.
“He does not hide from his own deficiencies. He's one of the most honest drivers I've ever had the good fortune to work with,” Allison said.
“He can see the areas where Kimi has been quicker than him this year, and he knows that those are things that he needs to bring to the table to compete on equal or better terms with this precocious young talent.”
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Russell looks to close the gap for 2027
For Allison, recognising where his team-mate holds an advantage gives Russell a foundation on which to improve for the 2027 season.
“I do very much admire the fact that he looks straight down the barrel of that,” he explained.
“[We're] gonna see him looking to build the platform that is going to let him have a run at it next year alongside an amazingly talented team-mate.”
With Mercedes having secured the constructors’ championship, Russell now turns his attentions to getting P2 in the drivers' championship. Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff is determined for Russell to take P2 back off Max Verstappen, who is 17 points ahead of the British driver.
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Russell though is prioritising performances over championship results, as he said: "It's been a very positive weekend in terms of my performance. I'm probably more happy coming away from the weekend because the performance was good. At this stage, I care more about the performance than I care about the result, because that's what's been my weak point."
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