Apr.8 (GMM) Christian Danner believes George Russell will ultimately get the upper hand over championship leader Kimi Antonelli as the 2026 season unfolds.
The 19-year-old Italian has taken Formula 1 by storm with back-to-back wins and now leads the standings after three races, sparking talk in his native country of an ultra-rare Italian world champion.
But former F1 driver Danner, speaking to motorsport-magazin.com, is not convinced the momentum will last.
“Of course, Antonelli has talent, which he uses very well, although he’s having trouble getting off to a good start,” he said.
“He also has a certain carefree spirit that’s typical of such a young age, but it’s unlikely to last long.”
Danner pointed to Oscar Piastri’s recent trajectory as a warning.
“We saw the same thing last year with Piastri – once he lost that youthful insouciance, it immediately affected his results.
“While Oscar was winning, everything was going great, and Lando Norris was struggling. But then everything changed, and towards the end of the year, it was sometimes hard to look at him without compassion.”
As pressure builds, Danner expects the balance at Mercedes to shift as well.
“Many factors will emerge throughout the year that will impact the standings. I don’t think there’s any reason to worry about Russell yet. His situation was influenced by the classic difficulties that arise during races.”
He noted Russell has already faced setbacks.
“George’s results were affected by various obstacles, bad luck, and, of course, a couple of mistakes of his own.
“Most importantly, his car wasn’t set up perfectly, and that can happen to anyone. I don’t think it will upset Russell.”
And once the British driver finds his rhythm again, Danner is clear about the likely outcome.
“As soon as he figures out what’s going on, as soon as he understands why he’s wasting time, he’ll immediately remember what he’s capable of.
“I don’t think he’ll suddenly need antidepressants, and I doubt he’ll continue losing to his teammate.”
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