Russell Explains Deficit to Antonelli with Bizarre Mona Lisa Comparison
George Russell, 28, is struggling in the 2026 Formula 1 season, trailing his Mercedes teammate Kimi Antonelli, 19, by 25 points in the championship. Antonelli has five wins to Russell's two. Before the Belgian Grand Prix at Spa, Russell offered a peculiar explanation for his struggles: he compared adapting to the new regulations—including a new power unit, tires, and car design—to being asked to draw the Mona Lisa with the original right next to you, requiring practice to replicate. Russell noted that Antonelli, with only one prior season in F1, has less ingrained driving habits, while Russell must consciously unlearn old techniques that once came subconsciously. Despite the gap, Russell insists he knows exactly what to fix based on data and aims to close the deficit at Spa on Sunday.
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Russell Explains Deficit to Antonelli with Bizarre Mona Lisa Comparison
George Russell, 28, is struggling in the 2026 Formula 1 season, trailing his Mercedes teammate Kimi Antonelli, 19, by 25 points in the championship. Antonelli has five wins to Russell's two. Before the Belgian Grand Prix at Spa, Russell offered a peculiar explanation for his struggles: he compared adapting to the new regulations—including a new power unit, tires, and car design—to being asked to draw the Mona Lisa with the original right next to you, requiring practice to replicate. Russell noted that Antonelli, with only one prior season in F1, has less ingrained driving habits, while Russell must consciously unlearn old techniques that once came subconsciously. Despite the gap, Russell insists he knows exactly what to fix based on data and aims to close the deficit at Spa on Sunday.