Palmer urges patience on Antonelli after British GP pace outshines Russell

Jolyon Palmer has warned that it is too early to conclude Kimi Antonelli is a fundamentally better driver than Mercedes team-mate George Russell, despite the 18-year-old Italian outpacing his senior partner at the British Grand Prix.

Antonelli was on course to challenge Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc for victory at Silverstone before a dislodged wheel shield left him struggling to control the car. He ultimately finished 15th after a track limits penalty, while Russell inherited second place — a result the Briton himself was candid about in the aftermath. “I didn’t deserve to stand where I stood,” Russell admitted post-race.

Speaking on the F1 Nation podcast, Palmer acknowledged that Russell is in a difficult position but argued the evidence gathered so far does not yet support a definitive verdict on the intra-team pecking order. “He’s in a difficult spot. The only thing I would say is the sample size isn’t huge enough to say Kimi is just the better driver,” Palmer said.

The former F1 driver pointed to the broader context of the current regulations, suggesting that different driving styles may be suiting certain cars in ways that could shift as the machinery evolves. “They need to be driven slightly differently than the previous regs. Max [Verstappen] doesn’t seem as comfortable with this car. Charles certainly isn’t. Lewis [Hamilton] has come back. Different driving styles may be working, and so maybe it is a bit of troubleshooting for George.”

Palmer drew comparisons to other generational talents who arrived in Formula 1 and immediately impressed, but stressed that sustained performance across a wider range of conditions is needed before Antonelli can be confirmed as a champion-in-waiting. “I feel like the sample size is quite small that we’re seeing Kimi in an absolute sweet spot, and until things evolve, then we’ll see if he’s a champion and a generational talent and all the rest.”

The Mercedes intra-team battle has been a recurring storyline through the early part of the 2025 season, with Antonelli consistently demonstrating raw pace that has raised questions about Russell’s standing at the Brackley outfit. How the dynamic develops as the regulations mature is likely to remain one of the paddock’s most closely watched subplots.