Mercedes team boss Toto Wolff says George Russell is “not leaving any stone unturned” in the F1 title race and expects his driver to bounce back at the next race in Montreal.
Russell is 20 points behind championship leader Kimi Antonelli after a disappointing weekend in Miami. There he fell short of the pace of his young Mercedes team-mate, who won the race for the third time in a row.
The British driver blamed a low-grip surface for his gap to Antonelli in Miami, but will need to change the momentum in the race for the title at last year’s Canadian Grand Prix, which he won.
“George is a killer. The great thing about him is that he never stops fighting and attacking,” Wolff told Sky Sports F1.
“I’ve seen him throughout his career in Junior Formula, in karting and here (F1). He’s going towards this and he’s going to take every step.”
“I have no doubt that those two will compete for points all season long.”
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David Croft warned George Russell on the F1 Show podcast that “alarm bells will ring” if he doesn’t beat teammate Kimi Antonelli in Canada.
Russell has six years more F1 experience than Antonelli and Wolff believes the 28-year-old will not be mentally affected by watching his teammate win the past three races.
“He analyzed these things, looked at the data and came to a conclusion, and that conclusion is that he was never comfortable on this track and never liked smooth surfaces,” he said.
“That’s it. Check the box. He’s looking forward to Montreal.”
“I don’t think it’s relevant to think from the side about what the end of the year is going to be.”
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Mercedes’ George Russell says the ‘real test’ will be in the next few races after disappointing result at Miami Grand Prix
Russell: “I’m not thinking about the championship”
Russell made his F1 debut with Williams in 2019, joined Mercedes in 2022 and outscored Lewis Hamilton in the three seasons they spent together as team-mates.
However, although he has not competed for the F1 title until this year, he insists he has no worries about competing for the title with 18 races remaining.
“Obviously he (Antonelli) is in a very good place at the moment and has some momentum. But having had enough experience myself with the championships I’ve won and seeing how momentum fluctuates throughout the year and looking at last year’s championship, to be honest, I haven’t even considered it,” he said.
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Kimi Antonelli reflects on the chaotic Miami Grand Prix. The Italian lost the lead in the opening laps but then regained it and won his third race of the season.
“I just want to get back on the top step of the podium. In the first three races I had the performance to do it, but this weekend I definitely didn’t have the performance to do it.”
“So you could be standing here now with three completely different results in the previous races. This (Miami) was a bit of a one-off, but obviously things played out differently in Japan and China. But that’s sometimes the case in F1.
F1 then heads to Montreal for the Canadian Grand Prix and another sprint weekend. Watch Sky Sports F1 live from 22nd to 24th May. Stream Sky Sports now – cancel anytime with no contract
