Juan Pablo Montoya has questioned whether George Russell will be able to ‘recover’ if Kimi Antonelli wins the Miami Grand Prix.
The 2026 Formula 1 season picks back up this weekend after a month off. The break came after cancellations in Bahrain and Saudi Arabia, giving teams extra time to prepare.
Mercedes have looked strong early on, with Russell taking the first win in Australia before Antonelli followed up with back-to-back victories in China and Japan.
Antonelli, just 19 years old, now holds a nine-point lead over Russell. Despite being tipped as the title favourite at the start of the year, Russell is already playing catch-up.
Montoya unsure if Russell can bounce back from another Antonelli win
Speaking to AS Colombia, Montoya called the Miami Grand Prix ‘decisive’ in shaping the title fight.
The former Williams and McLaren driver wondered whether Russell could recover if Antonelli claims another victory this weekend.
He also mentioned the possibility of growing divisions within Mercedes as the season progresses.
Montoya said: “I think this weekend is, this is very decisive for the future of who will be world champions.
“Because, if Antonelli can beat George again, it will put a strong mark on George’s head, and I don’t know if George will recover. If George does recover, Antonelli will be a bit like ‘Well, the last two times I was lucky I won, this guy messed everything up and beat me today’.”
“They are two teams, and each one wants to beat the other, and the more competitive they are, the more the separation will happen. That is where Toto has to come in and keep the core group working together.”
Russell uses marathon analogy to describe early F1 title chase
Although Antonelli has had the stronger start, Russell isn’t showing any signs of concern, especially with so much of the season still ahead.
When asked whether Antonelli’s fast start has shifted anything inside the team, he was clear in his response.
As reported by Sky Sports, Russell said: “No, not at all. I got asked the question this morning and we were talking about the London Marathon and it made me think.
“The guy who’s running the London Marathon after three miles, you’re not thinking about the finish line because you’ve got 23 miles to go. And we’re in race four. It’s not even a consideration. Of course he’s done an amazing job so far this year.
“The last race was a little bit unfortunate from my side. But these things they go one way one weekend and then they swing back later in the year. I’m experienced enough to know how a championship works and there’s a long way ahead.”
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