Wolff discusses Russell's challenges against teammate Antonelli
2 sources • 1 min read • Latest: Oct 3, 2026, 4:08 AM
Last updated Oct 3, 2026
Toto Wolff addressed George Russell's struggles with teammate Kimi Antonelli's performance during the 2026 season, particularly how Russell has coped with Antonelli's rapid success. Wolff noted that Russell, once favored for the Drivers' Championship, has fallen behind Antonelli, who leads the standings with eight wins. Following Russell's recent victory in Baku, where he reduced his points deficit from 81 to 66, Wolff emphasized the competitive dynamic within the team. With a push to maintain his momentum, Russell must continue to overcome Antonelli's dominance as the season progresses.
- •Russell has won three races this season, including Baku.
- •Antonelli has eight victories and leads the championship standings.
- •Wolff compares the current dynamic to the Hamilton-Rosberg rivalry.
- •Russell is 66 points behind Antonelli after his recent win.
- •Mercedes introduced major upgrades to the W17 before the Bahrain GP.
- 4:08 AMYahoo Sports — Wolff: “It’s difficult to cope” for Russell seeing Antonelli pace
- 4:00 AMYahoo Sports — Wolff reveals Russell found it 'difficult to cope' with Antonelli as he draws Hamilton-Rosberg comparison
"The Bahrain GP in Malaysia represents a crucial moment in the Championship for Mercedes, who introduce a series of long-awaited upgrades to the W17. These updates are the first major aerodynamic changes for Mercedes in several months, who are finally responding to the developments from other teams - most notably McLaren. Despite the relative delay …
"Toto Wolff has revealed that George Russell "found it difficult to cope" with Kimi Antonelli's performances earlier this year. The Mercedes boss also compared how he handles the two now with how he managed Lewis Hamilton and Nico Rosberg.
Sources
External links- Yahoo SportsOct 3, 2026, 4:08 AMWolff: “It’s difficult to cope” for Russell seeing Antonelli pace
The Bahrain GP in Malaysia represents a crucial moment in the Championship for Mercedes, who introduce a series of long-awaited upgrades to the W17. These updates are the first major aerodynamic changes for Mercedes in several months, who are finally responding to the developments from other teams - most notably McLaren. Despite the relative delay …
- Yahoo SportsOct 3, 2026, 4:00 AMWolff reveals Russell found it 'difficult to cope' with Antonelli as he draws Hamilton-Rosberg comparison
Toto Wolff has revealed that George Russell "found it difficult to cope" with Kimi Antonelli's performances earlier this year. The Mercedes boss also compared how he handles the two now with how he managed Lewis Hamilton and Nico Rosberg.
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