Brundle: No clear advantage between Russell and Antonelli as Mercedes teammates

Former F1 driver and Sky Sports analyst Martin Brundle believes there is currently "nothing to choose" between Mercedes teammates George Russell and Kimi Antonelli, as the pair's on-track rivalry intensifies.

After a chaotic Canadian Grand Prix sprint, where Antonelli accused Russell of pushing him off track, the duo resolved their differences before resuming their battle in the main race at Circuit Gilles Villeneuve.

Why it matters:

The tight intra-team competition at Mercedes has become a defining storyline of the 2025 season. Antonelli, at just 18, leads Russell by 43 points after four consecutive wins, putting pressure on the more experienced driver and reshaping the team's pecking order.

The details:

• Brundle wrote in his Sky Sports column: "There's nothing to choose between Russell and Antonelli at the moment, experience and wisdom seems to match unbridled speed and enthusiasm perfectly, and that's why they keep meeting in the middle of a corner."
• The pair were frequently side by side, especially at Turn 10, until Russell's Mercedes suffered a rare power unit battery failure, forcing his retirement.
• Antonelli went on to win, joined on the podium by Lewis Hamilton (second) and Max Verstappen (third) — three different teams in the top three.
• Brundle called it "a thoroughly enjoyable and memorable Grand Prix" despite not being an all-time classic.
• Russell now trails his teenage teammate by 43 points, the equivalent of a win and a second place.

What's next:

"George Russell has to believe that what goes around comes around," Brundle said. "There's still a very long way to go, but McLaren, Ferrari and Red Bull are not going to stand still either." The next round is the Monaco Grand Prix on June 5–7.