Russell told to 'destroy' Antonelli to reassert F1 title control

George Russell has been advised he must "destroy" Mercedes teammate Kimi Antonelli at this weekend's Japanese Grand Prix to reassert his psychological control over their internal championship battle. The call comes from former F1 driver Juan Pablo Montoya, who emphasized that Russell, as the preseason favorite, has more to lose after Antonelli's breakthrough victory in China leveled their 2026 win tally at 1-1.

Why it matters:

With Mercedes holding a commanding performance advantage, the world champion is almost certain to come from within its driver lineup. This makes the intra-team psychological warfare as critical as on-track speed. Managing a teammate's confidence and momentum can define a season, especially when both drivers have proven they can win.

The details:

• Former F1 driver and two-time Indy 500 winner Juan Pablo Montoya exclusively told RacingNews365 that the pressure is squarely on George Russell to respond.
• Montoya framed the dynamic: "I would say it is that George has more to lose than it being Kimi's to win."
• He acknowledged Antonelli's Chinese GP win was aided by circumstance—a safety car and Russell's qualifying issues—but stressed the rookie "executed" perfectly, gaining valuable confidence.
• The core advice was blunt: "I think it is important for George to make sure he goes to the next race and destroys Kimi."
• Montoya highlighted the mental game, stating success in F1 is about "controlling what is going on in your team-mate's head" and that managing that situation well "can make a big difference."

What's next:

All eyes will be on the Mercedes garage at Suzuka. Russell's immediate response in Japan is crucial to stifle Antonelli's newfound momentum and reclaim the narrative within the team. A dominant performance from Russell would validate his status as the title favorite, while another strong result from Antonelli could signal a true, season-long duel for the crown within the dominant Silver Arrows squad.