‘No games, nothing being hidden’ – Mercedes open up on ‘healthy rivalry’ between Antonelli and Russell amid title fight

Mercedes have shared an insight into the working relationship between Kimi Antonelli and George Russell, with Deputy Team Principal Bradley Lord suggesting that the drivers share a “healthy rivalry” while still wanting to beat each other.

The Silver Arrows were tipped as favourites by many prior to the 2026 season getting underway and the team promptly embarked on a strong run, Russell having taken victory in Australia before Antonelli kickstarted an impressive sequence of back-to-back wins. This saw Antonelli become the sport’s youngest-ever championship leader at Round 3 in Japan.

While the Italian continues to head the standings, Russell sits in third after some slightly more challenging weekends – but amidst this battle, Lord has praised the duo for remembering to focus on the team’s success above anything else.

“What has been particularly impressive is how they work together,” Lord said during a discussion on the Nu Silver Arrows Radio Show.

“We've all seen periods in Formula 1 where relationships between team mates have become much more tense. George and Kimi obviously want to beat each other, because that's the nature of the sport, but it's a healthy rivalry.

“There are no games being played and nothing being hidden. They're both focused on making the most of the opportunity the team has given them.

“Of course they care about their Drivers' Championship positions, but first and foremost they're focused on delivering for the Constructors' Championship and helping the team succeed.”

Simone Resta, Deputy Technical Director at Mercedes, also suggested that the competition between the two drivers has helped the team to claim even better results during the season so far.

“We are fortunate to have a very strong driver pairing,” he explained. “George and Kimi are both incredibly quick. Both have taken pole positions this year and both have won races.

“Across different weekends and different circumstances, they have each delivered outstanding performances for the team.

“That is a tremendous asset. The competition between them continually raises the standard, and ultimately that allows the team to achieve better results.”