George Russell has admitted that, with the benefit of hindsight, taking his Mercedes engine penalty at the Italian Grand Prix in Monza would have been the smarter decision. His teammate Kimi Antonelli was forced to start from the back after taking a fresh Mercedes power unit, yet produced a remarkable recovery drive to win the race after starting 19th. Russell, meanwhile, finished second, but believes Monza presented an ideal opportunity to serve his own grid drop.
Mercedes had originally planned to wait until its ADUO upgrade was ready before Russell took his engine penalty. However, the British driver now feels the unique characteristics of the Monza circuit made it an excellent place to absorb the punishment. Overtaking is generally more achievable at the Italian venue, while the race unexpectedly featured extremely powerful slipstream and tow effects that helped cars make significant gains down the long straights.
Russell explained that Antonelli’s recovery showed just how effective the circuit could be for a driver starting from a difficult position. He noted that after being overtaken by Max Verstappen, he was able to recover around 1.4 seconds on the following lap largely because of the tow. Antonelli also climbed rapidly through the field, reaching the top six within only a handful of laps, while the red flag further influenced the race. Russell believes that even if he had started second and Antonelli from pole, the two Mercedes drivers would likely have remained locked in a close battle throughout the race.
Despite the difference in their championship positions, Russell insisted that he does not believe Mercedes is favouring Antonelli. The Briton acknowledged that his teammate is currently performing at a higher level and therefore deserves his advantage in the title fight. Russell also pointed out that his own recent performances have improved considerably, describing the last two race weekends as among his strongest of the season, although he accepts there is still more work required.
Antonelli currently holds a substantial 66-point advantage over Russell, and the Mercedes driver knows he will need both stronger performances and perhaps some luck to turn the championship around. Rather than concentrating on the points gap, Russell says his priority is finding additional performance and becoming faster behind the wheel. With plenty of the season still remaining, he remains determined to close the deficit and put himself back into serious contention for th
e title.
