‘It’s Kimi’s to lose’: Russell refuses to feel the pressure amid F1 championship battle

• British driver ‘didn’t lose sleep’ over Canada setback

• Russell says he will not change approach in Monaco

George Russell remains confident in his world championship ambitions despite taking a serious blow with a mechanical failure at the last round in Canada. In Monaco, the British driver insisted that he felt no pressure, with the Formula One title his rival and teammate Kimi Antonelli’s to lose.

Russell encountered a battery failure while leading in Montreal, after taking pole position and having enjoyed a hard-fought contest for the race lead that ebbed and flowed with his teammate. With Antonelli going on to win he extended his lead in the world championship to 43 points. The 19-year-old Italian has now won four races in a row to establish a strong advantage, although 17 rounds remain including the meeting in Monaco this weekend.