Former Formula 1 driver Martin Brundle criticized George Russell for letting frustration boil over during the Japanese Grand Prix. The Mercedes driver vented on team radio after teammate Kimi Antonelli capitalized on a safety car to take the lead. Antonelli's back-to-back wins have put him nine points ahead in the early 2026 standings.
George Russell began the 2026 season as the title favorite with Mercedes' strong machinery, securing victories in the Australian Grand Prix and Chinese sprint race. However, Kimi Antonelli responded with wins in the Chinese Grand Prix and Japanese Grand Prix, surging to the top of the drivers' standings. In Japan, a well-timed safety car allowed Antonelli to pit and emerge in front, just after Russell had stopped, prompting the Briton's radio outburst: 'Mate, what is Kimi doing? Is he following the restart plan? He's completely erratic right now.' He added, 'Are we doing the agreement or not? We had a plan for this exact scenario. Are we going to do that?'
