George Russell "has to win" Italian GP to keep F1 title hopes alive, says former driver

Mercedes driver George Russell must secure a victory at the upcoming Italian Grand Prix to keep his championship ambitions alive, according to former Formula 1 driver Jolyon Palmer.

Speaking on the F1 Nation podcast, Palmer assessed the title picture following a dramatic Dutch Grand Prix at Zandvoort. McLaren's Lando Norris took a commanding victory in the Netherlands ahead of the Mercedes duo of Kimi Antonelli and Russell.

Antonelli will take an engine penalty at his home race, giving Russell the opportunity to close the gap to his team-mate in the standings.

"He could win it because the way that he's been driving, I think Mercedes are the sure-fire favourites for Monza still," Palmer said of Antonelli. "But when you reference Max's comeback wins, that's largely against Checo, isn't it? Who was a lot further away from Max's pace than George is of Kimi's. And George was better in Zandvoort.

"I know he still didn't put the race together. He had two bad first laps that set him apart. And his race pace wasn't quite as good as Kimi's either. But I don't think in a clean race Kimi will come from 10th or 11th to beat George if George is anywhere near form from pole position.

George Russell, Mercedes

Photo by: Artur Widak / NurPhoto via Getty Images

"With strategy differences, safety car involvements, it's going to be tough on components across the board. Power units are going to be singing. Reliability's not going to be easy at Monza.

"If Kimi wins in Monza with a grid penalty, he is champion. I'll go as far as saying that. It'll be such a crushing blow. He will have won his home race with a load of overtaking, huge aplomb, and it will suck the life out of George to not take points out of him in Monza. George has to win this."

Antonelli currently leads the standings with 242 points. Russell follows in second on 183 points, level with Lewis Hamilton.