Lewis Hamilton weighs in on Mercedes battle at Mexico GP.
Lewis Hamilton has admitted he is not sure why the points gap between Mercedes teammates Kimi Antonelli and George Russell has grown so large. The Ferrari driver was asked about it at the Mexico City Grand Prix, where Antonelli could be crowned Formula 1 world champion this weekend. Hamilton said he does not know exactly what Russell has been dealing with, but he believes the Briton has faced far more difficulties than his young teammate.
The seven-time world champion was asked whether the size of the gap surprised him. His answer was careful. He made clear that he cannot see inside the Mercedes garage, but he still offered a view on how the season has unfolded for the two drivers.
Hamilton on the Antonelli and Russell Points Gap
“I don’t really know what [George’s] challenges have been, obviously I’m not in the team so… I do know he’s had a lot of problems, a lot more, or, most of the problems have been on George’s car this season,” Hamilton said.
He went on to describe how tough the year has been for Russell. “I think it’s been very very challenging for him, that’s where Kimi’s kind of had a much more simple in respect to issues with the car through the year and then he’s also delivered every single weekend so…”
Hamilton’s comments credit Antonelli’s consistency while pointing to reliability and car problems as a factor in Russell’s season. He did not suggest that Antonelli’s results are anything other than deserved.
Russell’s Pace Early in the Season Praised by Hamilton
Hamilton also said Russell has shown real speed, particularly in the opening part of the campaign. “I think George had really good pace, particularly at the beginning, a couple steps forward and a couple steps. I don’t really know why the gap is as big as it is, but, I’m sure he’ll bounce back. Each weekend he comes back and gives it his best.”
The remarks show respect for a driver who was Hamilton’s teammate at Mercedes. Hamilton stopped short of explaining the gap, repeating that he cannot know the details from the outside, but he was confident Russell would recover.
How Big Is the Gap in the F1 Championship Standings?
After the United States Grand Prix, Antonelli led the drivers’ standings on 365 points. Russell was second on 242 and Hamilton third on 241, so Antonelli’s lead over Russell stood at 123 points and over Hamilton at 124. Max Verstappen was on 236 points and Charles Leclerc on 233.
Antonelli won in Austin from pole position. It was his ninth victory of the season and he did it on a one-stop strategy, finishing ahead of Leclerc and Verstappen on the podium. Lando Norris took fifth, followed by Isack Hadjar and Oscar Piastri. Russell finished eighth after a difficult race that included a five-second penalty for gaining an advantage by going off the track. Hamilton took fourth for Ferrari, a result that kept Antonelli from clinching the title in Texas.
In the constructors’ championship, Mercedes had 607 points, ahead of Ferrari on 474, McLaren on 355 and Red Bull on 341. That put the German manufacturer 133 points clear of Ferrari, which shows how strong the team’s season has been even with the gap between its two drivers.
What Antonelli Needs to Win the Title in Mexico City
With 125 points still available before Mexico, the maths strongly favour the 20-year-old Italian. If Russell does not win the Mexico City Grand Prix, Antonelli becomes champion by default. If Russell does win, Antonelli needs to finish ninth or better to clinch the title.
Hamilton is still mathematically in the fight as well. If he does not win in Mexico, Antonelli is champion. If Hamilton wins, a tenth-place finish would be enough for Antonelli to take the crown.
A title in Mexico would make Antonelli Formula 1’s youngest world champion, with four rounds still to run. The Mexico City Grand Prix takes place on 1 November, and the remaining calendar then includes Brazil, Las Vegas, Qatar and Abu Dhabi. The points available drop to 100 after Mexico, so any slip this weekend would leave Russell and Hamilton very little room to recover.
Russell and Hamilton Look to Respond at the Mexico City Grand Prix
For Russell, the task this weekend is simple and demanding. He must win the race to keep his slim title hopes alive, and he will sit out the first free practice session in Mexico because of a mandatory driver absence. Antonelli already missed FP1 at the Barcelona-Catalunya and Hungarian Grands Prix to fulfil his own slots, so Russell is now required to miss one more session this year. That leaves him less running than usual before qualifying and the race.
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Russell leads Hamilton by a single point in the standings, so the battle for second place is also tight. Hamilton, Verstappen and Leclerc are all within a few points of one another behind the Mercedes pair, which adds weight to every result between now and the end of the season.
Hamilton’s message about Russell was one of support rather than criticism. His belief that Russell will bounce back, and that he gives his best every weekend, will be tested immediately in Mexico City. Whatever the reasons behind the gap, Antonelli arrives with the title within reach, and Russell and Hamilton must stop him by winning.
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