George Russell has made it clear that Kimi Antonelli's current advantage in the 2026 Formula 1 drivers' standings is, for the moment, something he does not factor into his own championship calculations. The young Italian, who is only 19 and already the youngest ever leader of an F1 title race, sits nine points ahead of the Mercedes veteran as the series heads to Miami for a weekend that includes a sprint race. Russell was asked whether Antonelli's position at the top of the table changes the internal dynamics at Mercedes. His answer was a calm, almost philosophical comparison with long‑distance running.
"I was thinking about the London Marathon earlier today," he said. "When you’ve only covered three miles you’re not already picturing the finish line because you still have 23 miles to go. We’re only in race four of a season that stretches over twenty‑plus events. So Antonelli’s lead is not even a consideration for me right now.
Of course he’s done a brilliant job this year, but it’s still early." He added that his own performance in the opening race had been hampered by a mishap, but reminded listeners that fortunes in motorsport can swing dramatically from one weekend to the next. "I’ve been in the sport long enough to understand how a championship unfolds. There’s a long way to go, and anything can happen," he said.
Russell also reflected on his own career trajectory, pointing out that even in his junior categories he never won every single round. "When I was fighting for titles in the lower formulas, there were weeks when the car broke down, weeks when I got caught up in an incident, and weeks when luck just wasn’t on my side. The same pattern held true for the drivers who contested the title last year." He explained that a difficult weekend for him would still be acceptable if it resulted in a solid points finish, citing recent results such as a second place in China and a fourth place in Japan.
"If a tough weekend still yields a P2 or a P4, I’m happy. My aim is simply to have a smooth weekend, because when the car runs smoothly I have a real chance of winning," he concluded. Looking ahead to Miami, Russell noted that the five‑week hiatus since the last Grand Prix has given every team a window to introduce upgrades.
While Ferrari, McLaren and Red Bull have announced fairly substantial new components, Mercedes has chosen a more measured approach, spreading its development work over the next two events – Miami and the following race in Canada. "We were a bit surprised to see some teams bring upgrades to Miami that were originally slated for Bahrain or Saudi Arabia," he said.
"Our plan was to roll out a larger package in Canada, giving us two weeks after Miami to fine‑tune the car. We hope the rivals don’t close the gap too quickly." Antonelli, who will be back at the same circuit where he secured his first F1 pole in the sprint qualifying session a year ago, expects the competition to be fiercer than it was in the opening three rounds. "We’re not bringing any major parts to Miami, just a few small tweaks," he admitted. "Ferrari, McLaren and Red Bull are all introducing big upgrades, so the field will be tighter and we’ll have to fight harder.
Our strategy is to keep our heads down, extract the maximum performance from the car, and let the results speak for themselves." The weekend schedule is packed with supporting events. On Friday, May 1, the programme starts with an F2 practice session at 2:35 pm, followed by the Miami Grand Prix practice at 5:00 pm, F2 qualifying at 7:25 pm, the team bosses’ press conference at 8:10 pm, and the sprint qualifying session (which begins at 9:30 pm) at 8:40 pm. Saturday, May 2, features the F2 sprint at 2:55 pm, a build‑up to the Miami sprint at 4:00 pm, the sprint race itself at 5:00 pm, and a series of analysis shows in the evening, culminating with the main Grand Prix qualifying at 9:00 pm. Sunday, May 3, includes the F2 feature race at 5:25 pm, a build‑up to the Grand Prix at 7:00 pm, the Miami Grand Prix start at 9:00 pm, post‑race reaction at 11:00 pm, and the final commentary segment at midnight.
All of these sessions are also available on Sky Sports Main Event. For fans wanting to watch live, the Miami sprint weekend will be streamed on Sky Sports F1, with the main Grand Prix kicking off at 9 pm on Sunday. The broadcast can be accessed via the NOW platform, which offers a contract‑free subscription that can be cancelled at any time.
Russell’s measured outlook, combined with Antonelli’s youthful optimism, sets the stage for a compelling showdown in Miami, where both drivers will be looking to maximise their points haul while navigating a rapidly evolving technical landscape across the grid.