Wolff lauds Russell’s ’10 out of 10’ stellar drive in Shanghai

Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff was effusive in his praise for George Russell following the British driver’s impressive third-place finish at the Chinese Grand Prix.

Russell’s podium in Shanghai marked his second consecutive top-three result, a feat that highlighted his growing prowess behind the wheel of the Mercedes W16.

Splitting the dominant McLaren duo of Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri on the grid, Russell maintained a competitive pace throughout the race, ultimately securing a well-earned spot on the podium behind the McLaren pair.

Wolff, speaking to Viaplay after the race, could barely contain his admiration for Russell’s performance.

“The word solid doesn’t give it any justice because he just drove a race that was faultless,” Wolff said. “He extracted the max of the car and the tyres. For me that was a 10 out of 10 drive.”

For Wolff, Russell’s execution was nothing short of exemplary, a masterclass in maximizing the potential of the car despite its current limitations against the frontrunners.

A Realistic Best-Case Scenario

Russell’s third-place finish came in a highly competitive field, with McLaren’s pace setting the benchmark and Red Bull’s Max Verstappen and the Ferrari drivers looming as constant threats.

Wolff acknowledged the strength of the opposition, noting that Mercedes had achieved the best possible result under the circumstances.

“A podium is a realistic best-case based on the terms,” he explained. “It was not only the McLarens, but Max [Verstappen] you can never discount, and the Ferrari so it’s good.”

©Mercedes

Despite the podium, Wolff remained grounded about Mercedes’ current standing in the Formula 1 pecking order.

The team, while sitting second in the constructors’ championship, isn’t yet in a position to challenge for victories on outright pace.

“The ambition is to win, but we don’t feel any entitlement at the moment,” Wolff admitted. “We’re not yet good enough, we’re second in the championship.”

For Wolff, the Shanghai result was a testament to Russell’s skill rather than a sign that Mercedes had closed the gap to the leading teams.

Russell Reflects on a Near-Perfect Weekend

George Russell echoed Wolff’s sentiments, expressing satisfaction with his performance across the entire weekend.

“I fully maximised every time on track,” Russell said, reflecting on his efforts in both qualifying and the race. “I was really happy with qualifying yesterday, getting in between the McLarens.”

The race itself showcased Russell’s strategic acumen. Opting for an early pit stop to switch to hard tyres, he briefly leapt ahead of Norris, though the McLaren driver soon reclaimed the position.

Russell had sensed early on that a one-stop strategy could work, a decision that proved correct but less advantageous than he’d hoped.

“I felt it from quite early on that a one-stop could be possible, and it turned out to be slightly easier than we probably all anticipated,” he said.

“We called it pretty early about the one-stop and it was a bit frustrating it was so [obvious] in the end because I was hoping those guys ahead would have gone onto the two-stop.”

Battling the McLarens and Seizing Opportunity

Russell acknowledged McLaren’s formidable form, crediting their drivers for an “amazing job” while emphasizing Mercedes’ efforts to close the gap.

“The race today was really strong,” he said. “We know at the moment we’re trying our best to catch McLaren, these guys are doing an amazing job.
“For us to end up quite a bit ahead of Max and the Ferraris right now, that’s a great result.”

Outpacing Verstappen and the Ferrari duo was a significant achievement, one that underscored the importance of his qualifying position.

The opening lap, however, presented challenges. Russell lost ground to Norris at the first corner, a move he attributed to Piastri’s clever defending.

“Obviously I lost out to Lando at the first corner. Oscar did a really good job at defending and it’s always a bit difficult when it’s such a high-speed first corner,” Russell explained.

“I thought I could sneak underneath him and he covered me pretty well.”

Despite the setback, Russell remained philosophical, recognizing that starting ahead of Verstappen and the Ferraris had been crucial.

“But for sure, if we qualified behind Max and the Ferraris yesterday, I don’t think we would have been standing on the podium today. So I think that was pretty crucial.”

As Mercedes continues its pursuit of the top step, Russell’s faultless performance in Shanghai stands as a benchmark of what’s possible when strategy, skill, and opportunity align.

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