Once a Mercedes driver, always a Mercedes driver – and apparently always welcome aboard Toto Wolff’s unofficial “Wolff Airlines.”
Towering at the back like a satisfied captain on the trip back to Europe after last weekend’s Chinese GP, Wolff presides over a cabin that looks more like a family reunion than a post-race flight.
Up front, George Russell is flanked by familiar faces: former Silver Arrows stalwarts Valtteri Bottas and Lewis Hamilton, both still very much part of the inner circle. Along for the ride are Susie Wolff and Carmen Montero, reinforcing the sense that Mercedes is less a team, more a travelling tribe.
Noticeably absent, however, is Shanghai race winner Kimi Antonelli. Perhaps a maiden victory isn’t quite enough to earn a seat on this private just yet. A few more wins, and boarding pass privileges might follow for the young Italian.
