Mercedes told to “back” George Russell as Toto Wolff accused of “undermining him”
1996 F1 World Champion Damon Hill advised Mercedes to “support” George Russell after the Canadian Grand Prix. Hill commented on Russell’s mistakes during the race, especially given Mercedes’ impressive performance in the dry conditions.
Although Russell took Mercedes’ first podium of the year, it was a missed opportunity in terms of victory. Russell ran off the track several times, most notably when second ahead of Lando Norris, costing him the challenge of Max Verstappen for the win.
Midway through the race, Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff was heard communicating with Russell over the team radio, saying:
Speaking on the latest episode of the Sky Sports F1 podcast, Hill felt Wolff’s intervention had dented Russell’s confidence. “I think the problem with George is that he started from a high position before he came to Mercedes,” Hill said. “He didn’t make many mistakes. When you reach the top, everyone watches everything you do, criticizing every flaw. I don’t know. I think it can be a bit disruptive if you’re coached by the team manager during the race, told to focus. I think he knows what he’s doing, to quote a famous racer.”
Russell has made some notable mistakes since the start of last year. He abandoned the Canadian and Singapore races through his own fault and crashed in Australia, despite being overtaken by a slower Fernando Alonso.
Hill believes Russell is trying too hard to prove himself in the absence of support from Mercedes, given the team’s interest in Verstappen and obsession with Kimi Antonelli. “I think it’s a problem for George,” Hill added. “He’s been at Mercedes for a while, they haven’t had great performances, but he’s definitely getting the job done. Lewis will leave for Ferrari next year. He’s trying to establish himself as the best driver and he hasn’t got there yet, I think, because instead of talking about George, they’re always talking about who’s going to be his teammate next year. I think Mercedes should support him a bit more, give him a bit more confidence and maybe he doesn’t have to try so hard to prove himself in the race because it looks like he’s trying to compensate a bit.”
Hill concluded by saying that Russell needs to rest. “He’s got speed, he’s got skill, he’s very smart. I’m sure he can deliver good results for them if they comfort him a little more.”
