Villeneuve Believes Russell Can Be Champion—But Questions Remain for Antonelli
You know, when Jacques Villeneuve speaks, you tend to listen—especially when it’s about the future of Formula 1. And right now, he’s got his eyes firmly set on George Russell and the Mercedes team. The 1997 world champion is convinced that Russell has what it takes to win the 2025 world title. That’s right, Villeneuve believes this could finally be Russell’s year.
Now, Russell hasn’t exactly made a ton of headlines so far this season, but that’s precisely what makes Villeneuve's prediction so interesting. He says Mercedes has been flying “under the radar,” quietly collecting points and showing strong pace without the flashy dominance we’ve seen from other teams. So far, Russell has been on the podium twice already—third in both Australia and China—and seems to be steadily building momentum.
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But here’s the kicker—Villeneuve doesn’t just stop at praising Russell. He’s also raising a pretty big question mark over Kimi Antonelli, Russell’s rookie teammate. Antonelli, for his part, has made a decent start with 22 points across the first two races, and that’s helped put Mercedes second in the constructors' standings, just behind McLaren. Still, Villeneuve’s not totally sold.
He’s wondering if Antonelli has the experience and technical insight to really contribute to car development—something that’s crucial if Mercedes wants to stay competitive over a full season. Villeneuve points out how McLaren surged to the front this year. Why? Because both of their drivers are working together to push the car forward. That’s the model to follow.
Antonelli is clearly talented and aggressive—no doubt about that. But Villeneuve hints that talent alone might not be enough right now. He says every time Antonelli’s on track, he’s looking to make something happen, and while that fire is admirable, development in F1 takes more than just raw speed. It takes experience, feedback, consistency.
So, as qualifying looms at the legendary Suzuka Circuit, all eyes are not just on Russell to keep his title hopes alive, but also on Antonelli. Can he rise to the occasion and grow into the driver Mercedes needs? If he can step up and truly contribute behind the scenes, Villeneuve’s bold prediction about a Russell title run might not be that far-fetched.
Until then, it’s going to be fascinating to see how this all plays out. One thing's for sure—Mercedes isn't out of this fight, not by a long shot.
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