Has George Russell already been surpassed by his record-breaking Mercedes team-mate?

Seven rounds into the 2026 season and the intra-team battle at Mercedes has become one of the defining storylines of the year. 

Kimi Antonelli leads the drivers' championship on 156 points, 50 clear of team-mate George Russell in third. 

The 19-year-old Italian has five grand prix victories to his name already, while Russell has managed just one, at the season opener in Melbourne.

In their head-to-head, Antonelli has finished ahead in five of the seven grands prix. Russell, though, will point to misfortune skewing the picture. 

His retirement from the lead in Canada while battling Antonelli was a crushing blow, prompting a raw reaction afterwards.

"It feels like somebody doesn't want me to fight or compete for this championship," Russell said. "Just every three out of the last five races, there's just been something really going against us."

The underlying pace, Russell would argue, is there. Sprint poles, qualifying performances and that commanding win in Australia all suggest he is far from outclassed. 

But Antonelli's consistency and natural affinity with the W17 have been remarkable for a driver still in his teens.

Who is Mercedes' better driver right now?

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