Antonelli rejected Russell’s reasoning. “I do not actually give weight to that line,” he stated, “as a result of it is nonetheless so early within the season. I proceed making an attempt to excel, making an attempt to maximise the automobile and see the place we find yourself on the finish of the season.
“It is tough to assume you possibly can lose one thing when you do not have the championship. How can I lose it once I did not win it but?”
Russell, 28, has bemoaned a sequence of occasions going towards him – together with technical points in qualifying in China, a safety-car intervention in Japan that handed the result in Antonelli and the Canada issues – however says he has no motive to really feel he can’t bounce again.
“I do not really feel like I have to get each single outcome attainable, as a result of the season’s lengthy sufficient that over the course of the season, it’ll swing in case you’re the man who’s on prime,” he stated.
“So I simply have to proceed being the man who’s popping out on prime, even when he is the one for the time being who’s getting the outcomes.”
Russell stated that his retirement in Canada “hurts” however added: “That is simply the best way racing goes.”
And he pointed to his personal junior profession as a motive to remain optimistic.
“In Method 2 (in 2018), I had, I believe, 5 failures over the course of a 12 months,” he stated.
“I got here to Monaco, by no means been to Monaco earlier than, and I broke down on the out lap in apply. After which went into qualifying, 15-minute session, 4 laps, and did not qualify wherever respectable.
“I broke down on different events. The engine stalled, however then nonetheless went on over the course of a 12 months to win the championship.
“So I take inspiration from these moments. And I believe for everybody yearly, you’ve a run of races the place, I do not know why or how, all the pieces simply goes your method.
“And that is simply the way it goes typically when issues flip. It is only a mentality I’ve bought. I am in an excellent head house. The strain feels off now. And there is simply an enormous period of time to go.”
Antonelli, who’s in solely his second season in F1, added: “I do not really feel that a lot strain. I really feel fairly relaxed. I simply preserve doing what I am doing, making an attempt to lift the bar.
“George is a super-strong team-mate and he’ll make my life tough.”
