Monza defeat may cost George Russell more than a trophy: 'That does something to a driver'

Former F1 star Ralf Schumacher has warned that Kimi Antonelli's brilliant Italian Grand Prix win on Sunday may spell disaster for his Mercedes team-mate George Russell.

George Russell was the heavy favourite to win the race after he qualified on the front row alongside surprise polesitter Pierre Gasly but, despite building a gap to the Ferraris and McLarens who started around him (as well as Max Verstappen), the Brit was hunted down from 19th on the grid by his young team-mate.

Antonelli was aided by a pair of perfectly-timed pauses in the race - a 30-minute red flag for Charles Leclerc's Lap 2 crash and a later virtual safety car which allowed him a cheap pitstop for fresh medium tyres. But the 20-year-old Italian still drove a brilliant race to become the first home winner of the race in 60 years.

Looking back on the race on the Backstage Boxengasse podcast, Schumacher half joked that Russell was 'driving a different car again' in talking about the pace gap between the Mercedes pair, and warned that the race could have dire consequences for the rest of his season.

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Will Antonelli gulf cost Russell Mercedes support?

"George Russell was apparently driving a different car again, or he's simply not getting along well with the car at the moment," said the 11-year F1 veteran.

On the Brit being hunted down by his own team-mate from 19th on the grid, he warned: "That's a huge blow, and that does something to a driver - it's also difficult internally within the team because you lose a lot of support."

What would a severe loss of support within Mercedes mean for Russell? Fortunately, Schumacher didn't leave that open to interpretation; saying straight out that he expects Russell to be told that his job for the rest of the year is to support Antonelli's title challenge.

George set for number two duties

"I do believe that there will now be a proper meeting," the German said, "where George will be told who will be competing for the world championship this year and what his responsibilities are."

That would be a crushing blow for Russell, not just for the season but for his future with Mercedes after being outdriven this year by a team-mate who came into this season still seen as a work in progress.

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