George Russell biggest F1 fight is with team-mate Kimi Antonelli – Lando Norris
By Scott Hunt, Press Association F1 Reporter, Montreal
Lando Norris warned George Russell he is facing a challenge he has never dealt with before as he fights team-mate Kimi Antonelli for the world championship.
Russell was the pre-season championship favourite as Mercedes delivered the strongest car for the sport’s new regulations, and an opening win in Melbourne only strengthened that case.
But Antonelli, 19, has turned the tables by winning the next three races and arrives in Canada this weekend with a 20-point advantage.
Norris found himself in a very similar situation last season, slipping behind McLaren team-mate Oscar Piastri early in the season before ultimately clinching a maiden championship.
The 26-year-old believes Russell has the mettle for the title scrap – one which Norris and McLaren would very much like to muscle their way into – but says having a dangerous challenger across the garage will make life much harder.
“I think any situation that he’s ever dealt with is different to fighting for a world championship,” Norris said.
“Forget everything that’s ever happened, I think as soon as you’re fighting for a world championship, and then you also have a strong team-mate, that’s a very different situation.
“The last few years, I’ve had a very strong team-mate that as soon as I wasn’t on my A game, I was way off. That always makes your life a lot, lot tougher.
“Certainly (George) puts up a good fight. I think he’s shown that already when he tried to fight Max (Verstappen) off the track.
Firstly, congrats to Kimi on an impressive win! Miami is a place I love but a track that has always been challenging for me. I’m looking forward to Montreal and the upcoming European races. Thanks for all the continued support ð pic.twitter.com/oT1sPckefm
— George Russell (@GeorgeRussell63) May 4, 2026
“He certainly wanted to stand up for himself. I think he’s smart as well. I think he’s definitely one of the smartest drivers on track.”
Russell was team-mates with seven-time world champion Lewis Hamilton at Mercedes and, across their seasons together, came out on top.
“Overall George,” Norris added on that battle. “But he also didn’t get consistently beaten as much as he has done over the last two, three races.
“And that’s just a very different situation to be in.”
Norris, who won the sprint race in Miami last time out, is 49 points behind Antonelli after four races but remains optimistic that McLaren can close their gap to Mercedes.
He reflected on his own triumph last season where he clinched the championship at the final race – holding off Verstappen and Piastri after a campaign where he had been questioned on a regular basis.
“The beginning of last year was one where I was consistently a bit behind. That’s when you start to feel a bit more like, ‘where do I start now’?” Norris said.
“I think that is what made me more proud last year of the championship was how I kind of turned those things around. Some were on track, some were off track.
Rate the fit ð#McLarenF1 | #CanadianGP ð¨ð¦ pic.twitter.com/MJdX34CMOQ
— McLaren Mastercard Formula 1 Team (@McLarenF1) May 21, 2026
“I wouldn’t say I ever got into a panic. I don’t think I really ever panic. But I certainly wasn’t the most happy.
“I’m sure it’s not hard to find an interview for me in post-qualy or post-race where I was pretty just down and deadbeat about everything.
“I needed those people around me at that time to help me get back to being my normal self.
“Just going back to just believing in myself a little bit more and just knowing that I have what it takes to fight for a world championship.”
