Kimi Antonelli and George Russell have shared a harmonious relationship since becoming Mercedes team-mates.

Kimi Antonelli and George Russell maintain a harmonious team-mate relationship (Image: Getty)

Kimi Antonelli has confessed that his relationship with team-mate George Russell is ‘definitely changing’ as the season progresses, and that the 27-year-old is ‘not happy’ finishing behind the Italian rookie. Antonelli has endured a rollercoaster ride during his rookie season, but as the year draws to a close, the 19-year-old is starting to find his feet.

At the Brazilian Grand Prix, he enjoyed the strongest weekend of his Formula One career so far, finishing ahead of Russell in all four competitive sessions and securing two second-place finishes. In fact, the Bologna-born starlet has now finished ahead of Russell in back-to-back race weekends after crossing the line sixth in Mexico City before the trip to Sao Paulo. According to Antonelli, this is having an effect on his relationship with the Brit.

“My relationship with George is definitely changing,” he confessed to Sky Sports F1 after the Brazilian GP. “It’s natural that he’s not happy finishing behind me, just as I’m never happy when I’m behind. The relationship has changed and will change, but there’s a lot of respect between us and there’s a great dynamic in the team, because we’re pushing each other.”

With the Las Vegas Grand Prix next up, Antonelli may have his eye on a maiden F1 race victory. The street circuit has been a happy hunting ground for Mercedes since its introduction to the schedule, and Russell won there in style last season.

“This weekend will definitely give us an incredible boost heading into Las Vegas, where the team was fantastic last year,” Antonelli continued. “ We hope to continue to be strong. Obviously, the car has different characteristics than the 2024 one, but the DNA is very similar.

Antonelli has out-scored Russell in back-to-back races (Image: Getty)

“I’m coming off a positive moment. Even in Mexico, things went well, even if the result didn’t show our potential. The biggest difference this weekend was that we managed to put everything together, even the details.

“It was a really exciting result, because in the previous months I had a very dark period: I managed to get out of it, and so this podium is truly special, even on a personal level.”

For Mercedes, maintaining a harmonious relationship between Antonelli and Russell will be crucial to their success in the Constructors’ Championship over the upcoming triple-header. The Silver Arrows are now 22 points clear of Red Bull in second place, while Ferrari remain a factor as well in fourth, 26 points behind the Brackley-based squad.