Mercedes Says Too Early to Prioritize Antonelli or Russell in 2026 Title Fight

Mercedes has dismissed growing calls to prioritize Kimi Antonelli in the 2026 Formula 1 drivers’ championship, insisting it is “far too early” to anoint a title favorite even as the rookie holds a commanding 59-point lead over teammate George Russell. With Lewis Hamilton’s Ferrari posing a genuine threat and 12 rounds still remaining, the Silver Arrows say their primary focus remains clinching a first constructors’ crown since 2021 rather than managing an intra-team title race that could still swing dramatically.

Why it matters:

The stance marks a deliberate attempt to avoid McLaren’s costly 2025 mistake, when its refusal to back either Oscar Piastri or Lando Norris helped Max Verstappen steal the championship late in the year. Mercedes knows that sacrificing constructor points in service of a single driver could open the door for Ferrari to erase its current 72-point deficit. By keeping both drivers in play, the team also avoids the internal fractures that often follow early team orders, preserving a competitive but stable garage as it chases its first drivers’ title since Hamilton’s seventh crown in 2020.

The details:

• Championship arithmetic: Antonelli has taken six wins to Russell’s one, leaving him 50 points clear of Hamilton and 59 ahead of Russell after 11 races. Mercedes, however, has captured eight grands prix overall and holds a comfortable lead in the constructors’ standings.
• Russell’s cruel luck: After winning the Melbourne opener, Russell’s campaign unraveled through a brutal sequence of technical failures and bad timing. A quirky car fault ruined his Chinese Grand Prix qualifying, an untimely safety car hurt him in Japan, an engine failure cost a certain win in Montreal, incorrectly served penalties devastated his Monaco weekend, and an anti-stall issue dropped him to the back on lap one in Hungary.
• Antonelli’s setbacks: The rookie has faced his own issues, with misfortune in Barcelona and Silverstone proving that his lead is not unassailable.
• Team philosophy: Deputy team principal Bradley Lord reaffirmed that “if a Mercedes can win the race, a Mercedes must win the race,” stressing the team comes first. He noted that championship narratives can flip entirely within three races, making any driver priority premature while both remain mathematically eligible.
• The mental toll: Lord acknowledged the psychological burden on Russell, who has faced constant scrutiny for failing to meet pre-season expectations despite events largely outside his control. He added that Russell has also struggled to match Antonelli’s outright pace on several weekends, compounding the frustration.

What's next:

Russell heads into the summer break knowing he must overturn a significant deficit, but Mercedes remains confident he can rebound and play a pivotal role in securing the constructors’ championship. If Antonelli maintains his form after the hiatus, the team may eventually face a difficult conversation about resource allocation. Until then, Mercedes will continue to let its drivers race freely—provided both cars keep finishing ahead of the field and, crucially, ahead of Ferrari.