Nelson Piquet Jr. is already very concerned about George Russell’s future. The latter was touted as the title favorite ahead of the new F1 season, but in the opening races it was teammate Kimi Antonelli who stole the show. During the upcoming Canadian GP – a race that normally suits Russell well – it’s do or die, predicts Piquet Jr.
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Based on expectations around 2025 and Mercedes’ promised competitiveness, Russell was considered the big favorite beforehand. However, after four races it is Antonelli who leads the standings. The young Italian won three races in a row and seems unstoppable in the dominant W17. Heading into Canada, the difference between the two Mercedes drivers is twenty World Championship points. In the podcast Pelas Pistas, Piquet Jr. explained that Russell was initially in a comfortable position at Mercedes, but since Antonelli’s arrival he suddenly has to give it his all.
The British driver joined alongside Lewis Hamilton in 2022, on paper the most successful F1 driver of all time. “If you finish behind Hamilton, that’s fine,” Piquet Jr. explained. “After all, we’re talking about Hamilton. And if you beat him, that’s great. So when Russell joined the team, he was really in a win-win situation. He was given the space to prove himself. But now he is challenged by a guy who didn’t even have his driver’s license when he moved up to Formula 1.”
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Decisive Montréal
According to Piquet Jr., Russell still operates at a similar level as, for example, Leclerc, Verstappen, Hamilton, and Alonso. At the same time, he warns that a difficult period may be approaching for the Brit. “This could be the beginning of the end,” said the Brazilian. “And when I say ‘the end’ for Russell, we must not forget that he is still one of the four or five best drivers in Formula 1, alongside Leclerc, Max, Hamilton, and Alonso.”
With that in mind, Piquet Jr. focused on Montréal. “You can be such a good driver, but on a street circuit confidence often makes the difference. Maybe that will play a role here. The gap with Antonelli has now become so big that I am worried about Russell’s future.”
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