Montoya says Russell is overanalysing as Antonelli builds 66-point F1 lead

Juan Pablo Montoya has pinpointed a mental difference between the Mercedes team-mates as Kimi Antonelli arrives in Madrid for the inaugural Spanish Grand Prix at the Madring circuit holding a 66-point championship lead over George Russell.

Speaking on the F1 TV Weekend Warm-Up show, the former Formula 1 driver drew a sharp contrast between the pair following Mercedes’ 1-2 finish at last week’s Italian Grand Prix, where Antonelli took victory from 19th on the grid in front of his home crowd.

“George is trying to overanalyse everything with the driving,” Montoya said. “He wants to do everything so right. And Kimi is letting it happen more naturally. Kimi is just going for it, and things are working out. It’s like whatever he’s doing is working, and it’s really hard to beat Kimi because he doesn’t seem to get it wrong. His wrongs end up being right.”

Montoya also pointed to tyre management as a key area where Russell needs to adjust his approach. The medium compound performed better than expected at Monza, retaining pace deep into stints with minimal degradation — a factor Antonelli appeared to exploit more effectively.

“George needs to understand the way he’s managing the tyres, maybe he needs to be a little more aggressive and just keep trying,” Montoya added. “He’s got the guy there. He’s got the information. And I think it’s a good lesson for George to get himself to a better level. The speed is not the question. It’s how the execution is happening.”

The Colombian was emphatic that Russell’s raw pace is not in doubt, framing the gap between the two drivers as one of execution rather than ability. Antonelli’s ability to recover from mistakes — Montoya noted that the teenager “goes through the gravel and gases it and the car keeps going” — has made him particularly difficult to challenge.

With the Spanish Grand Prix marking the first F1 race at the new Madring circuit in Madrid, Russell faces a significant points deficit to claw back if he is to mount a realistic title challenge against his younger team-mate.