Toto Wolff expects George Russell to definitely strike back in 2026. The Brit struggled in the past Grands Prix with many setbacks and mechanical problems in his title fight with teammate Andrea Kimi Antonelli. The low point came in Canada, when he retired in lap thirty while leading. ‘But if I had to name one person in this paddock when it comes to resilience and determination, it’s George,’ Wolff remains confident in the Brit’s comeback.
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After Andrea Kimi Antonelli’s third consecutive Grand Prix win, George Russell was on pole position to strike back in Canada. The Brit led in the opening phase of the main race in Montreal and held his ground in the fierce battle with the young Italian driver. Until in lap thirty, due to a battery failure, Russell’s race ended prematurely. The Brit came out of his W17 white-hot and later received a €5000 fine for the headrest he had thrown onto the track out of frustration.
Mercedes team boss Toto Wolff, however, thinks Russell will take revenge soon enough. “Well, the last few races haven’t gone his way,” the Austrian concludes after the GP Canada. “During the main race, he could definitely have scored quite a few points. He was leading, but if I had to name one person in this paddock when it comes to resilience and determination, it’s George.”
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‘George will not give up the fight’
The GP Canada was not the first race weekend this season where Russell faced mechanical trouble. For example, he struggled during qualifying in Shanghai with gearbox problems, while in Suzuka he encountered a wrong setup on his car. “George has had to overcome setbacks before, from karting to the junior formulas. He will not give up the fight,” Wolff is sure. “There are still 17 races to go, if I’m correct, so there are still many points to be scored. So yes, it’s just a matter of waking up the next day, processing it, forgetting it, moving on and looking ahead, and driving as well as possible. That’s exactly what he’s going to do.”
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