Russell admits: there is no rivalry with Antonelli because the Italian is faster

Russell explained why there is no conflict with Antonelli

Mercedes driver George Russell admitted on Thursday that his 'excellent relationship' with his teammate and title rival Kimi Antonelli has not soured this season for a simple reason: he cannot match the Italian's speed on track. According to the Briton, most on-track conflicts and bitter rivalries begin with collisions on the circuit, but this year Antonelli 'has been on a higher level', so there has been almost no cause for friction. Russell added that in racing he and his teammate 'keep to themselves' and each works with his own engineer, AFP reports.

Antonelli is one step away from a historic title

The 20-year-old Antonelli could become the youngest Formula 1 champion in history on Sunday at the Mexican Grand Prix, and the first Italian since 1953 — all he needs is to finish ninth or higher. Russell, who was considered the pre-season favourite, trails him by 123 points and leads seven-time champion Lewis Hamilton of Ferrari by just one point in the fight for second place. Russell will, however, hand over his car to Mercedes test driver Frederik Vesti in the first free practice session on Friday, which would give Antonelli an additional advantage if he recovers from a virus and takes part in the weekend.

Second place does not inspire Russell

Russell himself said that second place in the championship means little to him: 'For every driver on the grid there is only one position that matters — P1. Being the best of the rest is not what you dream about as a child.' In his words, it is more important to finish the season on a positive note than to achieve a specific place in the final standings. The absence of drama in this pairing contrasts with classic rivalries of the past, such as the conflict between Ayrton Senna and Alain Prost at McLaren in the late 1980s, which the publication cited.