Formula 1 commentator Alex Jacques has described Kimi Antonelli's strong start to the 2026 season as a wake-up call for Mercedes teammate George Russell. The 19-year-old leads the drivers' standings by nine points after back-to-back victories in China and Japan, amid growing reactions to his surprise championship lead. The team now heads to the Miami Grand Prix.
Kimi Antonelli has surged to the top of the Formula 1 drivers' championship after consecutive wins at the Chinese and Japanese Grands Prix in the opening three rounds of 2026, holding a nine-point lead over pre-season favorite George Russell. Commentator Alex Jacques highlighted this as a wake-up call for the British driver during an F1 season-start debrief video, noting Antonelli's underestimated form from late 2025—including a charge from the back in Las Vegas, outracing Russell in Brazil, and holding off Max Verstappen.
“George is the favourite, he remains the favourite. He's got a lot of experience, got a lot of know-how in the team. He's been a little bit unlucky,” Jacques said. He pointed to Antonelli's strong showings at tracks like Vegas and Brazil, where Russell had prior wins under different regulations.
Jacques suggested the early intra-team pressure could motivate Russell, similar to Oscar Piastri's impact on Lando Norris last year. As Mercedes eyes the Miami Grand Prix, the battle for supremacy intensifies.
