George Russell admitted that Mercedes could work in tandem with Andrea Kimi Antonelli to overcome Lando Norris at the Dutch Grand Prix. Starting 2nd and 3rd on the Zandvoort grid, the Mercedes duo sits directly behind the pole-position McLaren, opening up strategic options for the German squad.
Following his Sprint victory from pole on Saturday morning, Russell narrowly missed out on main pole to Norris by 0.102 seconds. However, with Antonelli starting 3rd and Oscar Piastri back in 4th, Mercedes holds a two-versus-one dynamic against McLaren at the apex of the grid.
Speaking to Sky Sports, Russell expressed renewed confidence in the W17 while predicting a tight battle involving McLaren and Ferrari.
“Hopefully, the momentum continues. It feels like a more normal weekend. The car feels more intuitive, I have more confidence in it, and everything flows more naturally,” Russell said. “Let’s see what today holds. It’s going to be an interesting race. I think Ferrari will be quick, Lando will be quick, so it should be a good battle.”
Russell emphasized that starting both Silver Arrows directly behind Norris allows Mercedes to split pit strategies and force McLaren into reactive decisions.
“The fact that we line up right behind Lando gives us the chance to try something a bit different and put him under pressure. But of course, the first lap will be key—where we come out after Turn 1 makes a huge difference, so we’ll have to react to that, but I believe there will be opportunities,” he explained.
When asked directly whether he would collaborate with Antonelli rather than racing his teammate, Russell made no secret of Mercedes’ primary objective.
“We want to win the race. Any team in this situation would try to do something a bit different. I’m sure McLaren is aware of that and will try to counter it,” Russell noted. “We’ll see how things unfold. If we have a fast car, I’m sure we’ll be able to move forward at some point in the race.”
Formula 1 action continues at Zandvoort on Sunday for the 2026 Dutch Grand Prix. GRANDE PRÊMIO covers all track activities live from Zandvoort with reporter Leonid Kliuev. Follow all paddock updates on our news page.
Starting grid top 6: Dutch Grand Prix 2026
| Pos | Driver | Team | Engine | Q3 Time |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lando Norris | McLaren | Mercedes | 1:11.163 |
| 2 | George Russell | Mercedes | Mercedes | 1:11.265 |
| 3 | Andrea Kimi Antonelli | Mercedes | Mercedes | 1:11.296 |
| 4 | Oscar Piastri | McLaren | Mercedes | 1:11.305 |
| 5 | Lewis Hamilton | Ferrari | Ferrari | 1:11.470 |
| 6 | Charles Leclerc | Ferrari | Ferrari | 1:11.492 |
Session schedule: Dutch Grand Prix 2026
| Session | Local time (CEST) | UTC |
|---|---|---|
| Race | Sunday, August 23 – 15:00 | 13:00 |
Broadcast guide: Where to watch in the United States
- United States (Eastern Time / ET)
- Broadcaster: Apple TV
- Race: Sunday, August 23 – 09:00 ET
Frequently asked questions (FAQ)
1. Where will George Russell and Andrea Kimi Antonelli start the Dutch Grand Prix?
George Russell will start 2nd on the front row, with Andrea Kimi Antonelli lining up directly behind him in 3rd position.
2. How does Mercedes hold a strategic advantage over McLaren at the start?
Mercedes has two cars (P2 and P3) starting ahead of the second McLaren of Oscar Piastri (P4), allowing them to split strategy against pole-sitter Lando Norris.
3. Who won the Zandvoort Sprint race on Saturday morning?
George Russell won the Sprint race for Mercedes after starting from pole position.
