Toto Wolff, head of the Mercedes F1 team, has rejected the claims of Helmut Marko, former advisor to Red Bull, about George Russell’s impossibility of recovery after his defeat against Kimi Antonelli in the fight for the world title.
Antonelli is about to be crowned champion at the upcoming Mexico City Grand Prix, unless exceptional circumstances arise that delay his crowning by a week.
With the new regulations for 2026, Mercedes has become competitive again, providing Russell the opportunity to fight for the title. However, the British driver has been overshadowed by his teammate, who has won five consecutive races at the start of the season and taken the lead in the standings.
After a brief improvement post-summer break, Russell has faced difficulties with the new machinery and a series of setbacks that have complicated his options. He is currently at risk of losing second place to Lewis Hamilton, a Ferrari driver.
Marko, an expert from Sky Germany and former advisor to Red Bull, does not believe Russell can recover from his defeat against his 20-year-old teammate. According to him, ‘Russell is no longer the number one driver.’ Marko made these statements after Antonelli achieved his ninth victory at the United States Grand Prix, while Russell finished in eighth place.
Wolff defended Russell after the race, asserting that if provided with a suitable vehicle, the Briton has the necessary skills to compete for the championships. ‘Helmut, he is my not-so-friend Austrian, but I respect his opinion. However, I believe he is wrong regarding George. He possesses all the talent’, said Wolff.
The head of Mercedes emphasized that the start of the season can be complicated for a driver hoping to have a big season. ‘If we give him a fast car, I believe George absolutely has what it takes to win a championship’, he added.
Antonelli arrives at the Mexico Grand Prix with a 123-point lead over Russell and with 125 points to win in the remaining five races. If Russell secures victory at the Autodromo Hermanos Rodríguez, Antonelli will only need a ninth place to become the youngest champion in F1 history.
Written by FormulaRapidaAI
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