George Russell has openly declared that he "hasn't forgotten how to drive" and remains confident in his emerging fight for the championship against his teammate Kimi Antonelli, even though the Italian youngster clearly outperformed him at the Miami Grand Prix. Russell entered the season as the bookmakers' favorite after a dominant opening weekend that saw him win the Australian Grand Prix and then capture the inaugural sprint race in Shanghai. Since those early triumphs, however, the spotlight has shifted to Antonelli, who has now secured his first three career victories in three consecutive races. The gap between the two Mercedes drivers at the Miami event was the widest of the year.

Antonelli not only took pole position but also won the race, while Russell could only manage fourth place, finishing a staggering 43 seconds behind the 19‑year‑old Italian. That result widened Antonelli's lead in the drivers' championship to 20 points after just four of the scheduled 22 rounds, prompting UK bookmakers to flip the odds and list the teenager as the new title favorite.

After the race, Russell spoke to Sky Sports F1, saying, "He [Antonelli] is a fantastic driver and has been exceptionally quick since day one. He's won all of the championships as a youngster. I've still got confidence in myself and have also been there. I've not forgotten how to drive.

It's just a little bit of a tricky run but we are four races down, a long way to go and I think we will reassess things over the next few weeks." Russell also explained why the Miami International Autodrome has become something of a "bogey track" for him. The circuit's low‑grip surface, he argued, does not suit his precise, smooth‑driving style, which contributed to his under‑performance relative to Antonelli. Despite the raw result, the weekend was not entirely bleak for Russell. In the Saturday sprint, Antonelli incurred a five‑second penalty for repeatedly exceeding track limits, dropping him two places and allowing Russell to close the points gap.

Then, on Sunday, a late‑race spin by Ferrari's Charles Leclerc into the barriers handed Russell an extra position and two additional championship points. Reflecting on the race, Russell said, "A difficult race. The beginning felt OK.

Those early laps I was in the fight, then the hard tyre I was nowhere. I got some ideas in the last 10 laps. We were much more competitive. I made some quite big changes with my differentials and brake bias and was much closer to what Kimi was running this whole weekend, and it made a bigger impact than I thought.

Not a good weekend. I know this place is a real tough one for me. The real test will come at the next few." Former world champion and Sky Sports F1 analyst Jenson Button believes the Brit will be shocked by Antonelli's rapid rise but remains convinced Russell can bounce back at the upcoming Canadian Grand Prix. Button commented, "I think George is probably thinking, 'what just happened?' He was the favourite, the quickest at the start of the year, and Kimi is exceptionally talented.

But the thing with George is he's confident in himself. He knows he's got the skill and I'm really happy he's letting us all know certain things aren't right. If you bottle it up inside, it's the worst thing possible.

He's doing the right thing, and I think he will come out strong in Canada." Sky Sports F1 pundit Naomi Schiff added that Russell should take some comfort from the fact that Antonelli has already made mistakes this season, such as the penalty‑inducing laps in the sprint. "He's a very hard worker but no driver wants to be beaten by their teammate, certainly not George," she said. "He's spent a lot of years at Williams, then finally made the move to Mercedes without a competitive car. Now he's got one and his teammate has been beating him.

He will take reassurance in that Kimi hasn't been faultless and he will make mistakes this season and maybe George's consistency is what helps him out. But he's got to contend with Kimi's raw speed and the fact he can deliver incredible lap time. It's never nice but I'm sure he can bounce back." The next race on the calendar is the Canadian Grand Prix in Montreal, which will also feature a sprint weekend.

Fans can watch the action live on Sky Sports F1 from May 22‑24, with streaming available through NOW without a long‑term contract. Russell will be looking to close the points gap, refine his car setup for low‑grip circuits, and prove that his early‑season dominance was no fluke.

Antonelli, meanwhile, will aim to extend his lead and cement his status as the surprise front‑runner of the 2026 Formula 1 campaign.