George Russell says he feels as though all of Mercedes’ early-season issues are coming on his, rather than team-mate Kimi Antonelli’s, side of the garage.
Russell won the season-opening Australian Grand Prix but Antonelli hit back with victories in China and Japan to establish a nine-point lead going into a five-week break before the Miami Grand Prix.
The Brit, who began the season as the clear title favourite given Mercedes’ strength and his significant edge in experience over his teenage team-mate, has encountered problems in both China and Japan.
He was troubled by a technical issue in Shanghai qualifying and then an unsuccessful setup change put him on the back foot in Japan before the timing of a safety car in the race enabled Antonelli to leapfrog him, and left Russell highly frustrated.
Following Sunday’s race at Suzuka, Russell told Sky Sports: “I’m not feeling too lucky. This is racing. Over the course of a year, sometimes it goes for you, sometimes it goes against you.
“It’s annoying that I missed out on the podium because at the safety-car restart I couldn’t charge my battery, so we got overtaken by Lewis [Hamilton]. And then another problem with Charles [Leclerc], with the battery.
“It’s still very complicated, these cars, it’s still very early, and you have to make these mistakes to learn.
“But it feels like at the moment all the issues are coming on my side, so that is pretty frustrating, to be honest.”
Russell had been imperious in Australia and the Shanghai Sprint events, but Antonelli took pole in China after a technical issue limited the Brit to one rushed push lap at the end of Q3.
Antonelli was able to convert pole to victory for his maiden race victory, and appeared to be boosted by the result as he outpaced Russell in two of the three practice sessions in Japan.
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Russell stopped at the start of Q3 in China after a problem with his Mercedes
It was after those sessions that Russell made a setup change to his car ahead of qualifying, which backfired as he struggled with the feel of his W17 and barely held off McLaren’s Oscar Piastri for second.
While both Mercedes drivers once more made poor starts to the race, Russell was in a better position approaching the sole round of pit stops as he trailed leader Piastri, but Antonelli benefitted from having extended his first stint when a safety car gave him a cheap stop and the lead.
Russell’s frustrations over the timing of the safety car were compounded by a problem at the safety car restart dropping him behind Hamilton, and another power issue then leaving him behind the other Ferrari of Leclerc shortly after.
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Mercedes’ Kimi Antonelli claimed victory at Japanese GP to win back-to-back races and become the youngest to lead the F1 title race
Antonelli romped to victory while Russell ended up fourth after being unable to pass Leclerc for a podium finish in the final stages.
Asked whether he felt he had lacked his “usual pace” in Japan, Russell replied: “I wouldn’t say so.
“And as I said, one lap difference, we’d have won the race and we’d be having a positive conversation, so I don’t know what more to say.”
Formula 1 returns on May 1-3 with the Miami Grand Prix, the season’s second Sprint weekend, live on Sky Sports F1. Stream Sky Sports with NOW – no contract, cancel anytime
