George Russell praises Kimi Antonelli’s “perfect start” as Mercedes title battle heats up

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George Russell has opened up on racing against his Mercedes team-mate Kimi Antonelli, praising the Italian driver's "perfect start to the year".

Mercedes has enjoyed a dominant start to the 2026 Formula 1 season. After Russell claimed the victory in the season-opening Australian Grand Prix and the first sprint race of the year in China, Antonelli celebrated back-to-back wins at the Chinese and Japanese Grands Prix.

While Russell was deemed a favourite at the start of the year, the Briton is now facing a significant threat from his team-mate as they fight for the drivers' championship.

Russell discussed working with Antonelli during the Watches and Wonders 2026 event in Geneva with IWC Schaffhausen, after the launch of the Pilot’s Venturer Vertical Drive.

"Yeah, it's great having Kimi as my team-mate," the 28-year-old driver said. "Of course, an incredibly quick driver, and he's shown that ever since we've been team-mates throughout last year.

"This has been an incredibly perfect start to the year for him. And I'm looking forward to trying to fight again with him in the upcoming races. But I think all of us at that age, you got so much excitement, motivation for everything that's ahead.

"I remember when I was 19 years old and pursuing a dream, which I'm still pursuing today, which is to become a Formula 1 world champion."

After the first three rounds of the season, Antonelli leads the drivers' standings as the youngest driver to do so, with nine points over Russell in second. Ferrari drivers Charles Leclerc and Lewis Hamilton follow in third and fourth.

Interestingly, the IWC Schaffhausen Pilot’s Venturer Vertical Drive is a timepiece designed to be able to endure space flight. It has been made in partnership with Vast, which is the company behind the planned space station Haven-1. The watch is currently .