Russell admits he needs luck as Antonelli focuses on the job

George Russell, a Mercedes driver, admitted on Thursday that he must rely on luck to overtake his teammate and series leader Kimi Antonelli in the drivers' championship. Speaking at the new Madring circuit ahead of the Spanish Grand Prix, Russell clarified that he has not lost hope. He maintained that both he and Antonelli are not considering the title race, but focusing solely on improving their individual performances race by race.

Antonelli, 20, echoed this sentiment, stating that his home win from 19th on the grid at Monza last Sunday was the best day of his life so far. He also emphasized that he ignored title talk to concentrate on racing, describing Monza as the proof that he wasn't thinking or worrying about the championship while driving to win and do his best.

Russell, who trails by 66 points, seemed to have regained composure after his disappointing performance last Sunday, where he started from pole but was still beaten. He expressed satisfaction with his recent strong weekends and race pace, noting that it marked a significant improvement compared to the mid-season.