Paddock Unfiltered 03 – 12. October 2026
George Russell just cannot seem to catch a break, Kimi Antonelli keeps flirting with track limits, and Max Verstappen is reminding everyone why you should never count him out.
And honestly? I have very different feelings about all three.
George Russell: At This Point, I Just Feel Bad for Him
I just feel sorry for George at this point.
There is only so much one driver can take before you start wondering when things are finally going to go his way. Every time it looks like he might get a proper opportunity, something seems to get in the way.
The Sprint crash was obviously frustrating, especially because it was a mistake he has to take responsibility for. I’m not going to pretend George did absolutely nothing wrong. But then you add the engine penalty, the compromised starting position and the amount of work needed to recover on Sunday, and it becomes difficult not to feel for him.
Ninth place is better than nothing, but I doubt that’s where George wants to be when he knows what he and the car are capable of.
And that’s probably what makes it worse. It’s not as if he suddenly forgot how to drive. He’s still capable of putting together brilliant performances, but he needs a weekend where everything actually comes together.
Meanwhile, Kimi keeps building his championship campaign, and you can already feel how much the dynamic is changing.
I don’t think George should be written off. Not even close. But I do think he needs a reset, because watching opportunity after opportunity slip away is getting painful.
Kimi Antonelli: I’m a Fan, But We Need to Talk About Track Limits
Now, Kimi.
For those who did not realise at this point, i am a big Mercedes Fan and even bigger Kimi Antonelli Fan. I believe he’s a genuinely good driver, and I don’t think you get to where he is simply by being lucky. The speed is there, the talent is there, and he’s proving that he can compete at the highest level.
But being a fan doesn’t mean I’m going to defend absolutely everything he does.
The track limits are becoming a problem.
And I don’t even mean that in a dramatic, oh my God, Kimi is making mistakes, the world is ending kind of way. It’s just something that needs to be addressed before it costs him something much more important than a warning.
I love seeing him push. I love seeing a driver committed enough to find every possible bit of performance in a car. That’s part of what makes watching Kimi so exciting.
But there’s a difference between pushing the limit and repeatedly going beyond it.
At some point, you have to ask whether those extra centimetres are actually worth the risk. Because they aren’t worth much if you end up with a penalty that costs you a podium, or worse, valuable championship points.
And that’s what worries me. Not his talent. Not his ability. His consistency in this particular area.
Kimi is in a position where every point matters. He’s fighting for a championship, and I want to see him win it on merit, with as few unnecessary mistakes as possible. He doesn’t need to give the stewards another reason to get involved in his race.
I’m not suddenly going to turn against him because of track limits. Absolutely not. I still believe in him, and I still think he’s capable of incredible things.
But I can be a fan and admit when something isn’t good enough.
The pace is there. The potential is there. Now, please, let’s keep all four wheels where they belong.
Max Verstappen: I’m Not a Fan, But I’m Not Blind Either
Right, Max.
Let me make something clear: I’m not a Verstappen fan. That hasn’t suddenly changed because he’s found some form again.
But I’m also not going to sit here and pretend I can’t recognise good driving just because I don’t support the driver.
What Max has been doing lately deserves credit.
When Verstappen has a car he can trust and everything starts clicking into place, he’s an incredibly difficult driver to beat. We’ve seen that before, and the recent results are another reminder of exactly what he’s capable of.
The confidence, the race management, the ability to control a race when he’s in front — it’s all there. He knows how to get the most out of a situation, and when Red Bull give him a competitive package, he knows what to do with it.
And that’s what makes this comeback interesting.
Formula 1 moves quickly. One minute, everyone is questioning a team’s performance, and the next, that same team is suddenly back in the conversation. Red Bull have found momentum, and Max is making the most of it.
I can acknowledge that without suddenly wanting him to win every weekend.
Do I want him to beat my favourites? No. Am I going to give him credit when he drives exceptionally well? Yes.
Both things can be true.
Honestly, I think sometimes people get so caught up in supporting their favourite drivers that they forget how to appreciate the sport itself. You don’t have to like a driver to recognise their ability.
And Verstappen is a perfect example of that.
I don’t have to be a Max fan to admit that when he’s on form, he’s one hell of a driver.
The real question is how long Red Bull can maintain this momentum and what it means for the championship. Because if this version of Verstappen sticks around, nobody at the front can afford to get comfortable.
Three Drivers, Three Very Different Situations
What I find interesting about these three storylines is how differently I’m looking at each of them.
With George, I just want the man to catch a break. He needs a weekend where he can focus on racing rather than recovering from one setback after another.
With Kimi, I’m excited about what he’s achieving, but I also want to see him learn from the mistakes that could cost him. Supporting a driver doesn’t mean pretending they have nothing to improve.
And with Max, I can put my personal preferences aside and appreciate what I’m watching. I don’t need to cheer for him to recognise that he’s capable of making life very difficult for everyone else.
That’s Formula 1, isn’t it?
You can love one driver, feel sorry for another and begrudgingly respect a third — sometimes all in the same weekend.
And honestly, that’s much more interesting than pretending every driver you don’t support is bad.
What are you thoughts about all three of them?