(Motorsport-Total.com) – After the Belgian Grand Prix, George Russell appeared extremely dismayed. Due to a collision with Lewis Hamilton, the Mercedes driver had to prematurely park his W13 in the gravel trap and is already 50 points behind teammate Kimi Antonelli in the world championship. How can a driver be rebuilt in this difficult situation?
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“You have to understand that drivers are very emotional in such situations,” explains Mercedes team boss Toto Wolff after the race to our sister portal Motorsport.com. His driver’s anger was not only visible on race Sunday but also audible via social media. After the Grand Prix, a very specific radio message made the rounds: “Un-fucking-acceptable,” were the words of the third-placed driver in the championship.
“On the other hand,” says Wolff, “as a Formula 1 driver, you belong to an elite group. It’s an honor to drive for Mercedes. Sometimes we let ourselves down. That applies not only to the drivers but also to us.”
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Meanwhile, Russell, according to his words after the race, is completely numb in terms of disappointment. “I hope that this numbness disappears,” says Wolff when asked about it. “We will try to help him and bring back optimism and positivity.”
When asked if a driver like George literally needs a comforting arm around his shoulder, the team boss replies: “I believe that with all drivers, at least those I have worked with so far, it’s like this: when they are going through a difficult time, and that happens to every athlete at some point, you have to find a way to motivate and rebuild them.”
“George has his way and I try to address that specifically. I’ve known him for a long time, I understand his frustration, and the team is 100 percent behind him.”
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It wouldn’t be the first time the team boss has supported his protégé this season. In qualifying for the Austrian Grand Prix, Wolff had, for example, stopped him from overthinking the situation with a radio message: “George, just drive now!”
In the end, the Mercedes driver secured pole position and won the race in Spielberg. This impression of a supportive environment is confirmed by experts such as former Formula 1 driver Juan Pablo Montoya. “Mercedes is really good at helping their drivers, managing them, and taking care of them,” he said in his analysis after the Belgian Grand Prix.
“You never hear the team blaming the drivers. Other teams love to do exactly that.”
Consequently, Montoya believes that Russell remains the perfect driver for the Silver Arrows. In the post-race show on F1 TV, he categorizes the Mercedes driver as a team player.
At the same time, Russell faces a mammoth task in the championship duel with Antonelli. While the 19-year-old has so far achieved six season victories, the more experienced of the two Mercedes drivers has recently struggled with technical problems. A lack of top speed made his job difficult not only in Spa but also at the previous home Grand Prix in Silverstone.
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