George Russell credits setup change inspired by Kimi Antonelli for late Miami GP surge

George Russell revealed he transformed his Miami Grand Prix by switching his car's setup to mirror teammate Kimi Antonelli's in the final laps, finding immediate pace to secure fourth place. The Mercedes driver, who had struggled earlier, closed in on and passed Max Verstappen and Charles Leclerc after the change, while Antonelli went on to win the race.

Why it matters:

A driver publicly crediting a rookie teammate's car setup for a performance turnaround is a significant admission within a top team. It highlights Antonelli's rapid adaptation and technical feedback, while underscoring Russell's own willingness to adapt mid-race to solve performance issues, a crucial skill in modern F1.

The details:

• Russell described his initial stint on the hard tire as difficult, stating it felt "nowhere."
• In the final 10 laps, he made "quite big changes" to his differential and brake balance settings.
• The new configuration was "much closer to what Kimi has been running this whole weekend," an adjustment Russell said had a bigger impact than he anticipated.
• The change allowed him to close the gap and overtake both Verstappen and Leclerc to finish fourth.
• Despite the late surge, Russell called it "still not a good weekend," noting Miami has historically been a tough circuit for him.
• The result leaves Russell 20 points behind Antonelli in the Drivers' Championship after four rounds.

What's next:

Russell dismissed any suggestion he underestimated his rookie teammate, calling Antonelli a "fantastic driver" who has "been quick since day one." He expressed confidence in his own ability, stating, "I've not forgotten how to drive," but acknowledged a "tricky run." With the season still long, Russell indicated the team will "reassess things over these next few weeks" to find more consistent performance.