Jenson Button, Formula 1 champion in 2009, has expressed his confidence that George Russell will be able to manage the pressure of internal competition with Kimi Antonelli at the Mercedes team. With a strong start to the season, the Brackley team has achieved victories in the races in Australia and China, as well as in the sprint race in China.
Russell is currently leading the championship points table, with Antonelli just four points behind after securing his first victory in Formula 1 at the Chinese Grand Prix. This scenario makes the dynamic between the two drivers particularly interesting.
In statements to Sky Sports F1, Button stated: “I think he will manage it well. He has competed with Lewis Hamilton and, at that time, everyone thought Hamilton would always be faster. Now, the situation is reversed, and Russell has the necessary experience to face this challenge.”
Additionally, Button highlighted Russell’s personality, stating he has the ability to handle the competition with Antonelli. “I am looking forward to seeing how this situation develops, as Kimi is very fast and his naturalness on the track can surprise,” commented the former British driver.
Bernie Collins, analyst and former strategist for the Aston Martin team, also shared his view, indicating that if Russell has no competition, he may lower his performance. Now, with Antonelli close by, they will need to optimize and maintain their competitive level to avoid mistakes.
The latest qualifying showed that Russell struggled with excessive oversteering after some adjustments to the car, while Antonelli, for his part, secured pole position for the Japanese Grand Prix.
Written by FormulaRapidaAI