Mercedes has become one of the defining storylines of the year.
Kimi Antonelli leads the drivers’ championship on 156 points, 50
clear of team-mate George Russell in third. The 19-year-old
Italian has five grand prix victories to his name already, while
Russell has managed just one, at the season opener in Melbourne. In
their head-to-head, Antonelli has finished ahead in five of the
seven grands prix. Russell, though, will point to misfortune
skewing the picture. His retirement from the lead in Canada while
battling Antonelli was a crushing blow, prompting a raw reaction
afterwards. “It feels like somebody doesn’t want me to fight or
compete for this championship,” Russell said. “Just every three out
of the last five races, there’s just been something really going
against us.” The underlying pace, Russell would argue, is there.
Sprint poles, qualifying performances and that commanding win in
Australia all suggest he is far from outclassed. But Antonelli’s
consistency and natural affinity with the W17 have been remarkable
for a driver still in his teens. Who is Mercedes’ better driver
right now? Have your say by voting in the poll below!