Mercedes refuses to prioritise Antonelli or Russell in 2026 title fight

Mercedes has no intention of prioritising Andrea Kimi Antonelli over George Russell in the 2026 Formula 1 drivers’ championship fight, despite the rookie’s growing advantage and Lewis Hamilton’s Ferrari threat.

Antonelli leads, but Mercedes keeps both cars in play

That gap has prompted suggestions that Mercedes should back Antonelli and protect his route to a maiden title. The argument has gained weight after McLaren’s decision last year not to prioritise Oscar Piastri or eventual champion Lando Norris, a situation that helped Max Verstappen mount a late challenge.

“If a Mercedes can win the race, a Mercedes must win the race,” Lord said before the Hungarian Grand Prix. “That’s what comes first, the team comes first and the constructors’ championship is the team’s primary focus and primary objective.”

He added that Mercedes wanted to win both championships and would give itself the best chance by getting both cars to the finish in the highest possible positions. The team’s approach, he explained, is to allow the quickest Mercedes on any given weekend to win.

Russell’s title bid hit by misfortune

Russell had been expected to lead Mercedes’ challenge after finishing fourth in the standings last year and consistently outperforming Antonelli during the rookie’s difficult 2025 campaign. Yet his season changed after victory in the Melbourne opener.

A car fault compromised his qualifying in China, while an untimely safety car affected his race in Japan. Russell then retired from the lead in Montreal with an engine failure, suffered penalty-related setbacks in Monaco and dropped to the back at the start in Budapest because of an anti-stall issue.

Antonelli has also endured misfortune in Barcelona and Silverstone, but Russell has generally lacked his team-mate’s pace. Lord nevertheless stressed that the pressure of being labelled the favourite can weigh heavily on a driver.

Mercedes’ stance also reflects the wider threat from Ferrari, with Hamilton still positioned as Antonelli’s closest rival. That challenge is explored further in Hamilton’s push to galvanise Ferrari’s title bid.

For now, Mercedes is keeping its options open: reliability, speed and two cars scoring heavily remain more important than deciding which driver should receive priority.