George Russell made it clear that Kimi Antonelli's current lead in the 2026 Formula One drivers' standings is, for the moment, "not even a consideration" in the broader picture of the season. The Italian teenager, who is only 19 years old, sits nine points ahead of the seasoned Mercedes driver and is eyeing a third consecutive race victory as the championship heads to Miami for a weekend that includes a Sprint race.
Antonelli's position is historic – he is the youngest driver ever to top the Formula One championship table, and he is only in his second year at the top level. Despite the remarkable statistics, Russell emphasized that neither of the Mercedes drivers is currently mounting a genuine title challenge.
When asked whether Antonelli's lead had altered the atmosphere within the team, Russell responded with a calm analogy: "I was asked this this morning while we were discussing the London Marathon, and it made me think. The runner who’s only three miles into the marathon isn’t worrying about the finish line because there are still 23 miles left. We’re only in race four of a 22‑race calendar, so the lead is not even a consideration. Of course, Antonelli has done an outstanding job so far this year." He went on to reflect on the ups and downs of a championship campaign, noting that his own disappointing performance in the previous race was simply part of the ebb and flow of a long season.
"Things swing one way one weekend and then back the other way later in the year. I’ve learned enough about how a championship works to know there is a long way to go," Russell said. Russell also pointed out that he has already extracted the maximum performance he can from the car under the conditions he has been handed.
He recalled his junior‑category days when he rarely won every single race, reminding himself that consistency, rather than perfection, is what ultimately decides a title. "In the junior championships I contested, we didn’t win every weekend. Some weeks the car broke down, some weeks we had incidents, and some weeks we were simply unlucky.
The same pattern applied to the title‑contenders last year," he explained. He added that even a difficult weekend can be a positive one if the result is a respectable finish. "If I end up with a second place in China, like we did, or a fourth in Japan, that’s still a decent outcome for a tough weekend. If I’m able to finish higher, I’ll be happy – the goal is to have smooth weekends because smooth weekends give us a chance to win," Russell said.
The five‑week hiatus since the last Grand Prix has given every team time to develop upgrades for the Miami circuit. While Ferrari, McLaren and Red Bull have announced fairly substantial new parts, Mercedes has chosen a more measured approach, spreading its development over the next two races – Miami and then Canada.
"We were a bit surprised that some teams brought upgrades to Miami that were probably intended for Bahrain or Saudi Arabia," Russell remarked. "We expected most of the upgrades to arrive in Montreal.
We will have a slightly bigger package for Canada, because there are still two weeks after Miami before we get to Canada. Let’s hope the rivals haven’t caught up too much in the meantime." Antonelli, who will be returning to the same venue where he secured his first Formula One pole position in a Sprint qualifying session a year ago, expects the competition to be fiercer than it was in the opening three rounds.
"It’s going to be a very interesting weekend for us. We’re not really bringing anything major – just a few small tweaks – while other teams are bringing big upgrades, such as Ferrari and McLaren," he said. "Red Bull is also bringing an upgrade, so we’ll see how close they get to us.
We might have to fight a lot more this weekend." He concluded with a pragmatic outlook: "We’ll do our best, keep our heads down, and I’ll try to get the most out of the car. Then we’ll see what the result is." The official schedule for the Miami weekend is packed with action. On Friday, May 1, the day begins with an F2 practice session at 2:35 pm, followed by the Miami Grand Prix practice at 4:30 pm (the session actually starts at 5 pm).
The evening features F2 qualifying at 7:25 pm, the team bosses’ press conference at 8:10 pm, and the Sprint qualifying session at 8:40 pm (the session begins at 9:30 pm). Saturday, May 2, includes the F2 Sprint at 2:55 pm, a build‑up to the Miami Sprint at 4 pm, the Sprint race itself at 5 pm, and post‑race analysis with Ted’s Sprint Notebook at 6:30 pm. The day continues with a build‑up to qualifying at 8 pm, the qualifying session at 9 pm, and Ted’s Qualifying Notebook at 11 pm. Finally, Sunday, May 3, starts with the F2 feature race at 5:25 pm, followed by a build‑up to the Grand Prix at 7 pm, the main race at 9 pm, a post‑race reaction segment at 11 pm, and Ted’s final notebook at midnight.
All of these events are also available on Sky Sports Main Event. The Miami Grand Prix marks the resumption of the 2026 season after the summer break, featuring a Sprint format that adds an extra layer of excitement. Fans can watch the live action on Sky Sports F1, with the main race scheduled for 9 pm on Sunday.
For those who prefer streaming, the race is available via NOW, with a flexible, no‑contract subscription that can be cancelled at any time. The weekend promises a blend of high‑speed drama, strategic battles over upgrades, and the ever‑present question of whether the young Italian prodigy can maintain his historic lead or if the experienced Mercedes duo will claw their way back into contention as the championship unfolds.