Toto Wolff praises George Russell’s resilience in Baku

George Russell showed wherefore helium is 1 of the astir talented British drivers successful Formula 1 successful Baku. Mercedes brag Toto Wolff revealed that connected Friday it was “on the edge” whether Russell would adjacent thrust successful the Azerbaijan Grand Prix aft helium missed a property conference. 

The Briton was truthful sick that the squad was earnestly considering a replacement, with aboriginal Cadillac operator Valtteri Bottas acceptable to measurement in.

“[George was] precise impressive, considering connected Friday greeting it was connected the borderline whether Valtteri would beryllium successful the car and George himself said, I’m not definite I can,” Wolff explained.

Confidence and recovery

Russell did retrieve capable to determine to drive. He gradually got stronger implicit the weekend, and connected Sunday helium drove the full contention without a azygous mistake. 

“And past helium recovered a spot successful the greeting and decided to beryllium successful the car, and past helium got stronger each day. Then to bash the hr and a fractional contention present successful Baku, not making a azygous mistake connected some sets of tyres, and that was a super-deserved 2nd place,” Wolff said.

The Austrian added that a amended qualifying could person opened the doorway to a combat with Verstappen. 

“It’s ever a spot optimistic to accidental that helium could person made beingness hard for Max [with a amended qualifying], but our archetypal investigation showed that we were wrong a tenth of Max successful axenic speed.”

It could person been a combat for the top

According to Wolff, Mercedes had capable velocity to beryllium person to Red Bull. 

“So I deliberation it would person been a contention astatine the beforehand astatine slightest – whether that would person been capable to win, I don’t know. But the car was bully connected some sets of tyres and his gait was impressive,” the Mercedes brag stressed.

Well-deserved recognition

Despite his illness, Russell brought the squad a invaluable 2nd place, portion Verstappen was erstwhile again unattainable. Wolff stressed that his driver's effect did not travel by chance, but was the effect of exceptional endurance and determination. 

"It was a super-deserved 2nd place," helium concluded. It is wide that the talented Briton continues to turn successful his relation and shows that helium tin support up with the champion adjacent erstwhile the circumstances are not ideal.