Juan Pablo Montoya believes George Russell could benefit from adopting the same demanding approach that Lewis Hamilton has brought to Ferrari, arguing that the Mercedes driver should challenge his team more aggressively as he struggles to match Andrea Kimi Antonelli during the 2026 Formula 1 season.
The former Formula 1 driver sees Hamilton’s willingness to question decisions at Maranello as a constructive way of extracting more performance rather than damaging relationships within the team. With Russell facing growing pressure in the Drivers’ Championship and Mercedes still struggling to resolve the difficulties surrounding the W17, Montoya believes the British driver has something important to learn from his former teammate.
Juan Pablo Montoya believes George Russell should learn from Lewis Hamilton’s Ferrari approach
Speaking to F1TV ahead of the Mexico City Grand Prix, Juan Pablo Montoya reflected on the way Lewis Hamilton has approached his first two seasons at Ferrari, particularly his willingness to challenge technical and strategic decisions when he believes improvements are necessary.
The Colombian acknowledged that Hamilton frequently questions the team, a characteristic that some observers have interpreted as evidence of a lack of confidence in Ferrari’s operations. However, Montoya views that behaviour differently, believing the seven-time world champion is attempting to encourage the people around him to deliver their maximum potential.
Montoya suggested that George Russell might need to become similarly demanding at Mercedes. In his view, putting pressure on a team does not necessarily mean undermining relationships with engineers or management. Instead, constructive challenges can strengthen those relationships while encouraging everyone involved to find additional performance.
Hamilton’s conduct has attracted particular attention during a difficult campaign for Ferrari. The British driver has openly criticised the team’s lack of engine performance and has even questioned whether rival manufacturers might be concealing some of their capabilities before the final qualifying session.
His relationship with the pit wall has also come under scrutiny following the Malaysian and Singapore Grands Prix, where he went against instructions issued by Ferrari. Those incidents have prompted suspicions about the level of trust between the driver and the team, although Montoya believes Hamilton’s behaviour can also be understood as an effort to raise Ferrari’s overall standards.
That demanding attitude has accompanied Hamilton’s attempts to identify and resolve the recurring Ferrari balance difficulties that affected his United States Grand Prix. His involvement in technical discussions also forms part of the team’s longer-term development work.
George Russell faces growing Mercedes concerns as Kimi Antonelli dominates
Russell’s difficulties have become increasingly significant because of the enormous difference in performance between the two Mercedes drivers. Andrea Kimi Antonelli has adapted remarkably well to the W17 and the new generation of Formula 1 regulations, putting himself in a position to secure the world championship at the Mexican Grand Prix.
For Russell, the same technical package has proved considerably more difficult to exploit. His problems have persisted throughout the season, and the United States Grand Prix provided another particularly painful example when Antonelli finished 54 seconds ahead of his teammate.
Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff has attributed much of the difference to the W17’s narrow operating window, which makes finding the ideal car balance particularly challenging. However, the fact that Antonelli has consistently extracted stronger results from the machinery places additional pressure on Russell to find answers.
The situation highlights why Montoya believes a more assertive approach could help. Russell must not only continue adapting to the demands of the 2026 regulations but also work with Mercedes to establish a setup that allows him to drive with greater confidence.
With the same underlying problem affecting the team for much of the championship, the British driver has every reason to press for solutions rather than simply accepting the difficulties of the current package.
Lewis Hamilton closes on George Russell in the championship battle
Russell’s problems are also threatening his position in the Drivers’ Championship. Despite occupying second place in the standings, the Mercedes driver has only a narrow advantage over the drivers immediately behind him.
Charles Leclerc is nine points behind Russell in third, while Max Verstappen occupies fourth place. Hamilton is also just one point away from second position, putting the former Mercedes teammates in direct competition as the season approaches its conclusion.
The fight remains particularly noteworthy because Hamilton has encountered difficulties of his own. Since winning the Spanish Grand Prix in Barcelona, the Ferrari driver has managed only two further podium finishes, with inconsistent competitiveness continuing to limit his results.
Nevertheless, his position in the championship means that Russell cannot afford many more difficult weekends. The potential points swings between the leading contenders can be explored through the F1 Championship Points Calculator, which allows different finishing-position scenarios to be compared.
For Ferrari, Hamilton’s determination to keep demanding improvements is particularly relevant as the team attempts to build on its recent aerodynamic progress. The Briton is also looking beyond the immediate championship fight, with Ferrari’s remaining five races providing important development opportunities for 2027.
Montoya expects Ferrari to be competitive at the Mexico City Grand Prix
Montoya’s assessment of Hamilton’s working methods came during a wider discussion about Ferrari’s prospects at the Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez. The former Williams and McLaren driver believes the Mexican circuit could suit the characteristics of the SF-26 and offer both Hamilton and Leclerc another opportunity to fight near the front.
He explained that the circuit demands frequent changes of direction and a stable aerodynamic platform, two areas in which Ferrari’s car has demonstrated considerable strength. Those characteristics could make the Scuderia particularly competitive, provided the team can put together a complete weekend without compromising its potential.
However, achieving that consistency will be important given the cooling and grip challenges Ferrari expect to encounter in Mexico. The circuit represents another demanding test for the SF-26 following its improved performance in Austin.
For Hamilton, the weekend offers an opportunity to close the small championship gap to Russell while continuing to influence Ferrari’s technical development. His willingness to question decisions and demand improvements remains central to Montoya’s assessment of how the seven-time world champion is approaching the challenge.
Russell, meanwhile, faces a different problem at Mercedes. With Antonelli approaching the title and the W17 continuing to prove difficult to manage, the British driver needs to find a way to extract more from both the car and the people working around him. Montoya’s suggestion is that taking a more demanding role within the team, as Hamilton has done at Ferrari, could be an important part of that process.
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