David Coulthard examines George Russell’s title chances. According to the former F1 driver, those chances are almost lost after the ‘embarrassing’ outcome for Russell at the Italian Grand Prix, where Andrea Kimi Antonelli was still able to beat his teammate from a starting position at the back of the grid. “I really felt sorry for George,” Coulthard says.
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George Russell had an excellent chance from second on the grid at Monza to finally close some World Championship points on his teammate Kimi Antonelli. After all, the championship leader started his home race all the way at the back of the grid. Yet it was the young Italian who took the win – and the maximum number of World Championship points.
According to former F1 driver David Coulthard, this was an ‘embarrassing’ outcome for Russell. “I really felt sorry for George, because he was defeated and you could see that he was somehow trying to be philosophical about it,” the former Red Bull driver said on the Up to Speed podcast. “It’s embarrassing, isn’t it? To start at the front and then be beaten from behind by your teammate.”
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‘No answer to Kimi’
Kimi Antonelli has been able to extend his lead in the championship to 66 points thanks to his progress in Italy. Coulthard therefore does not think Russell can beat his younger Mercedes teammate. “We are now in a situation where George is licking his wounds,” he continued. “Kimi now has seven wins in Formula 1 to his name, is one step closer to the world championship, and there are no signs that George can actually respond. We know George is a Grand Prix winner, we know he is fast, but he simply has no answer to Kimi.”
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