After struggling to sixth on the grid in Monaco, George Russell admitted he is " bit bamboozled" by how his season has unravelled so quickly.
F1's preseason favourite won the opening race in Australia but has watched Mercedes teammate Kimi Antonelli claim victory at the next four races.
Antonelli won the Canadian Grand Prix two weeks ago after Russell dramatically retired from the lead, a result which stretched the Italian teenager's championship lead to 43 points.
On Saturday, Antonelli claimed a stunning pole position in Monte Carlo in what is often seen as the most important qualifying session of the year, given Monaco's lack of overtaking opportunities.
Russell had no answers about why he's struggled to match his teammate.
"I don't really know what's going on to be honest," Russell said after qualifying.
"It's clearly something in my driving that's not helping the car at the moment, but that was there at he start of the year as well. Every lap I did, if I look at Melbourne and at least China until I had my issues, it was P1 in every single session, and every lap I did was good, the last three races have just been nowhere, even Canada I was nowhere until the last lap of Q3 in both sessions, so I don't have an answer for that.
"I went out in [Monaco final practice] and on my first lap I was four tenths ahead of everybody and everything felt back to normal, and from thereon in it's just not been the same. So as I said I don't really have an answer right now [and] until I can make some adaptations or adjustments it's going to continue like this."
Speaking to Sky Sports, Russell said: "I need to adjust and I'll do my best to do that. But it still doesn't answer why the start of the year was such a breeze. So yeah, I don't know. I'm a bit bamboozled right now."
Antonelli has surged into championship contention in conjunction with Formula 1's new rules era.
The sport introduced brand new car designs and V6 hybrid engines this year, ending the so-called 'ground-effect era' which ran between 2022 and 2025.
Russell alluded to this and hinted that the new cars just simply do not suit him as well as his young teammate.
"There's clearly a difference in driving style between the two of us, which has been there last year as well. It played into my hands very well last year and it's clearly playing into his hands very well this year, but it still doesn't answer why I was so good at the start of the year and so poor now, so we need to look at why that is.
"It's clear in the data, the difference in how we're driving has such an impact on the tyres and he's just getting the tyres in a nicer window than me, a nicer balance, and the pace is just coming easier for him, so yeah, I don't know why that is."
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Mercedes' car has been the class of the field so far this year and the team introduced an upgrade package in Canada two weeks ago in a bid to stay ahead.
Russell would not be drawn on whether that has been a factor, making the point that he is simply in the situation Antonelli found himself in during 2025.
"Well, we brought the upgrades in Canada and I was on pole ... I've got some ideas why it is, but I've been driving this manner for my whole career and now for whatever reason it's not working with this car.
"Last year's car, Kimi was trying to drive it my way and it was also not working for him. It's no excuse, it's just a reality, I need to either work with the team to adjust my driving to compensate these new tyres, these new cars, or I need to find a different set-up that works for me, but it's not clicking right now."