Former Haas Formula 1 team principal Guenther Steiner has forecast that George Russell will finish as runner-up in the 2026 drivers’ championship, provided Kimi Antonelli can “keep his cool.”
Though the season is just four rounds in, Steiner believes he has seen enough to make a bold prediction about the final standings.
Appearing on *The Red Flags Podcast*, Steiner commented on Antonelli’s remarkable start to the campaign. The Italian driver took the championship lead after consecutive victories in China and Japan, and he extended his advantage over Russell to 20 points following another win in Miami.
“It’s not only that you need the machine, but his teammate is George Russell. He has a good teammate, a very good driver, who I rate highly,” Steiner said. “And I thought it was his time to bring the championship home this year. But I think Kimi is slowly taking it away from him, if he can keep his cool.”
“George, I think he will be the vice champion, not the champion.”
When asked whether he believed the title was now Antonelli’s to lose, Steiner added: “He still needs to win it. But he’s showing all the signs of not being bothered by whatever is happening. The thing which I mostly fear is that maybe he has some issues and then loses his cool about it, a little bit like Oscar did last year.”
“He was well in command before the summer break, and after the summer break, two things happened which he didn’t like, and he lost the championship. Maybe it is for him to lose, but I think we are early in the season.”
The season continues with the Canadian Grand Prix from May 22-24 at Circuit Gilles Villeneuve, a track Russell considers one of his strongest. Heading into that race, Antonelli leads the drivers’ standings with 100 points, followed by Russell on 80 points. Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc sits third with 59 points, while 2025 champion Lando Norris is fourth with 51 points.