Kimi Has Speed, Luck and the F1 Gods. George Russell Has Me and Fans Shouting at the Television

It is becoming increasingly difficult to understand what George Russell has done to upset the Formula 1 racing Gods. Kimi Antonelli has been magnificent this season. He has won eight of the opening 14 races, built an 81-point championship lead over George and started behaving like winning Grands Prix is a perfectly normal weekend activity for a 20-year-old.

This is not an attempt to dismiss Kimi’s talent. You do not win eight races through luck alone. However, whenever an opportunity falls from the Formula 1 sky, Kimi seems to be standing underneath it with his hands open, while George is somewhere nearby being asked to complete additional paperwork or get in a line of judgement.

Madrid explained the season perfectly. Kimi was running behind Lando Norris when the Virtual Safety Car appeared at exactly the right moment, allowing him to make a cheaper pit stop and take control of the race.

George encountered the same Virtual Safety Car, but his strategy became more complicated, required another stop and left him finishing fifth. The same incident visited both Mercedes drivers. It brought Kimi a trophy and handed George another character-building experience.

I think George has developed enough character now. Please stop building it.

Monza was equally painful. Kimi started 19th, charged through the field and passed George late in the race to win at home. It was a brilliant drive and one of the performances of the season, but George had controlled much of the race before worn tyres left him unable to defend.

Once again, Kimi had the speed, strategy and timing. George had second place and me staring at the television like it had personally arranged the result.

Now George has admitted that he is no longer realistically fighting for the 2026 World Championship. Hearing that hurts because he began the season as one of the favourites and won the opening race in Australia.

He has not suddenly forgotten how to drive. He has two victories, strong race pace and enough experience to lead Mercedes. Unfortunately, this season appears determined to place a banana skin underneath him whenever he begins running towards something important.

Meanwhile, Kimi’s confidence continues growing. Every victory makes the next one feel more natural, and every fortunate Safety Car seems to arrive with his name already printed on it.

Good for him. Annoying for George. Emotionally exhausting for me.

Toto Wolff believes “the great ones recover”, and I believe George can. He has already survived difficult Williams years, helped Mercedes through some extremely stubborn cars and carried the expectation of replacing Lewis Hamilton as the team’s leader.

Now he faces a different challenge. His biggest rival is sitting inside the same garage, driving the same car and apparently sharing a private WhatsApp group with Lady Luck.

That is why Baku matters.

George finished second there last year despite being ill, proving that even a malfunctioning George Russell can handle one of the most unforgiving circuits in Formula 1. This time, I want him healthy, aggressive and completely uninterested in helping Kimi extend that championship lead. I am not asking George to recover 81 points in one afternoon. Even my optimism has basic mathematical calculator. I hate maths by the way 😀 😀

I simply want one clean weekend. No unfortunate timing, no strategy that becomes confusing halfway through and no Safety Car arriving three seconds after it would have been useful.

My request to LUCK – Dear luck, please Give George the opportunity, let him fight Kimi properly and allow the result to come from their driving.

Kimi currently has the championship lead, extraordinary speed and the racing Gods answering his calls. George still has the talent, the experience and at least one stubborn fan refusing to give up on him.

Luck has ignored you for long enough, George, I hope Baku returns the call.

Sending George Russell the luck he deserves…
aKi Malik