Deeply affected after his retirement in the very first lap of the Belgian Grand Prix, George Russell can count on the full support of Mercedes. Toto Wolff made sure to defend his driver after a particularly difficult weekend.
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The Belgian Grand Prix left its mark on George Russell. Forced to retire in the first lap after a collision with Lewis Hamilton, the Mercedes driver left Spa-Francorchamps particularly shaken, to the point of being close to tears during his post-race interviews.
In the face of this disappointment, Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff assured that his driver would have the full support of the team.
“I haven’t seen him yet, but it’s completely understandable. When you are eliminated at the start of the race, frustration inevitably takes over.”
Mercedes takes responsibility
Beyond the collision with Hamilton, Wolff believes that Mercedes bears a large part of the responsibility for Russell’s result.
Throughout the weekend, the Brit complained about a significant power deficit on the straights, a problem that particularly handicapped him during the race.
“We had a problem with all the Mercedes engines. We lacked power on the straights and George suffered a lot from it. This responsibility is entirely ours.”
The head of the German team emphasized that his driver was doing everything in his power.
“He has our full support. We are working to solve all these problems. George is doing everything he can behind the wheel, and now it’s up to us to provide the answers.”
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Before adding: “I will go see him and put an arm around his shoulders.”
Antonelli praised after his victory
While Russell experienced a black Sunday, his teammate Kimi Antonelli gave a much more positive note to Mercedes by winning the Belgian Grand Prix.
Wolff did not hide his admiration for the young Italian’s performance.
“I am very happy for Kimi. He deserves this victory. Throughout the weekend, he was very solid. Even when he lost the lead after the Virtual Safety Car, he never panicked. He came back tenth by tenth and fully deserves this success.”
A season marked by setbacks
For Wolff, the difficulties encountered at Spa perfectly illustrate a season where Mercedes alternates between very good performances and technical problems.
He notably recalls that the team had already deprived Antonelli of a good result at Silverstone with a retirement, while Russell has had several complicated races, notably in Montreal, Barcelona, and now Belgium.
“We have a car capable of winning and the best engine on the grid. The whole team gives their best to limit mistakes, but we remain human. This is a discipline where technology and mechanics play an essential role.”
Despite this new disappointment, Mercedes intends to quickly bounce back to allow Russell to restart his season, now compromised by a 50-point deficit to his teammate Kimi Antonelli in the world championship.
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