Fourth in the Drivers’ standings, Jacques Villeneuve believes George Russell could fight for this year’s World title as he is flying “under the radar”.

But the big question is, can Kimi Antonelli assist him by helping Mercedes develop the W16 in the same way Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri have driven McLaren forward?

Can George Russell win the F12025 World title?

The last few seasons have been difficult for Mercedes, with the Brackley squad’s competitiveness suffering a blow with the introduction of ground-effect regulations.

Winning just one Grand Prix in 2022, they went winless the following season, before Russell and his then-team-mate Lewis Hamilton won two apiece in F1 2024.

That wasn’t enough to stop the team falling to fourth in the Constructors’ Championship as McLaren emerged as Red Bull’s main rival and won the teams’ trophy.

This year, though, it’s Mercedes who could be McLaren’s biggest threat in the championship fights. That’s according to 1997 World Champion Villeneuve.

F1 2025: The season’s winners and losers

👉 The results of the F1 2025 championship

👉 The updated Drivers’ and Constructors’ Championship standings

Although Mercedes have yet to win a Grand Prix, Russell has secured three podiums, including a heroic runner-up result in Bahrain where he held off a charging Lando Norris, doing so despite a massive electronic failure in his W16.

Clawing back a handful of points against his compatriot, Russell is 14 points down in the Drivers’ standings in fourth place.

Villeneuve was asked if the 27-year-old could launch a title challenge.

“Yes, because they’ve been going under the radar,” the Canadian told Sky F1.

“They’ve got more points than actually we know. We look at the screen, ‘oh wow, they got a lot of points’.

“Even as a team they’re always up there, they’re always competitive. He’s done really well.”

But, and there’s always a but, the former F1 driver wonders whether Russell’s new team-mate, Kimi Antonelli, yet has the ability to help the Briton drive Mercedes’ development in the same manner that Piastri and Norris have pushed McLaren forward.

“But is Antonelli ready to help them develop that car?” said Villeneuve. “That’s the big question.

“He’s young and doesn’t have the experience. He’s driving OK, he’s gotten big points.”

“But McLaren, why did they become so competitive? Two drivers, actually, developing that car.”

But while that’s a question that’s yet to be answered, Mercedes’ F1 2025 car, the W16, is a clear step forward on its predecessor.

“Last year was hit and miss – it was great or awful,” Villeneuve said. “The window of operation was tiny, probably the aero balance or somewhere in the car, and sometimes you could tell they didn’t know why they hit the setup or why they missed it.

“Where now the car is more numb, which means it kind of always works, and that allows the drivers to work on the setup and improve it gradually.”

With Antonelli also contributing points, the Italian having scored 30, Mercedes are second in the teams’ standings but 58 points down on McLaren.

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