Wolff: Mercedes “mustn’t be carried away” with Russell display
Mercedes Formula 1 boss Toto Wolff has cautioned that the team “mustn’t be carried away” by George Russell’s spectacular Sakhir GP weekend.
Wolff insisted that Lewis Hamilton remains the benchmark, and stressed the role that the seven-times world champion had played in lifting the team and developing its cars since he joined in 2013.
Russell’s charging performance, which saw him lose a likely race win to a pit stop mix-up and later a puncture, has inevitably led observers to suggest that Mercedes might not need Hamilton in the future.
“I think Lewis Hamilton wins so much, and many titles, because he's the best driver in the best car at the moment,” said Wolff.
“And we are very humble about it, because it's not a given that we provide him with the best car.
"And that's why we have a positive influence when the car works well to be part of his success, and we have a negative influence when our car doesn't work.
“So it's never a driver that makes all the difference and it's never the car that makes all the difference, it's the combination of the two. Lewis is still the benchmark, he's the best driver out there.
“He has proven that with his multiple records. And we mustn't be carried away at this stage by a phenomenal drive from a new kid who has a bright future in F1. Lewis is still the benchmark.”
Wolff added that he had tried to help Russell by putting a lid on expectations for his first outing with the team.
“By saying that we don’t expect anything better than top five or top four, I wanted to take pressure off him,” he said. “Because the truth is he’s not in a championship fight.
“Our team has done it already, and this is about learning, working in a new environment, and having a little bit more pressure. I think the pressure was so enormous on the Friday that we felt taking it away a little bit would be good. I think we were confirmed [in the race] about his potential.”
Wolff insisted that Russell’s performance would not be used as a lever in salary negotiations with Hamilton.
“They are two different things. Lewis has been with the team eight years, we have had great success in the past. He's a team member.
“And I said it already before we cannot have the events this weekend interfere or change any of our negotiations.
“I think that wouldn't be fair against him. And it wouldn't be fair against us, because it could have gone the other way around. And a race weekend where George wouldn't have been on pace.
“And I don't think that he would say, ‘hold on a minute now, this is an advantage for me.’ Our relationship goes much beyond that.”
Previous article
Mercedes will do ‘everything we can’ for Hamilton to race
Next article
The challenges in getting a new driver up to speed in F1
About this article
| Series | Formula 1 |
| Drivers | George Russell |
| Teams | Mercedes |
| Author | Adam Cooper |
Can Mercedes' W12 retain the team's crown?
Replacing Formula 1's fastest car was never going to be an easy feat for Mercedes. Amid the technical rule tweaks to peg back the W12 and its 2021 rivals, the new Mercedes challenger will remain the target to beat
The pointed note that starts Ferrari's Leclerc vs Sainz era
Ferrari is starting its post-Sebastian Vettel age by welcoming Carlos Sainz in alongside Charles Leclerc. But while Sainz has a tough challenge to match his new teammate, Ferrari is also sending a message that previous intra-team spats must end
The mantra Ocon must follow to challenge Alonso at Alpine
OPINION: It's been an uneasy ride for Esteban Ocon since his F1 comeback - and fresh challenges lie in wait as he's joined by double world champion Fernando Alonso in the newly rebranded Alpine team. STUART CODLING sets out a roadmap to success…
Why Haas is willing to sacrifice its 2021 F1 season
Every Formula 1 team is facing the same difficult decision this season: how do you split precious aero development time between the current car and the all-new 2022 project?
The big questions of F1 2021 - Karun Chandhok
After an unprecedented season last year, there are plenty of questions and storylines for the upcoming Formula 1 campaign. Sky Sports F1 pundit Karun Chandhok gives his verdict.
How McLaren F1’s new investors have already made an impact
The deal McLaren concluded with MSP Sports Capital last year which will help the cash-strapped Formula 1 team pay for much-needed infrastructure upgrades, also points toward the future for F1 itself, says GP Racing's Stuart Codling.
Why Verstappen isn't interested in the hype game
In a pre-season where Red Bull has been unusually quiet, Max Verstappen has also been guarded about the team's fortunes in 2021. Even after trying the RB16B for the first time at Silverstone, the Dutchman was careful to manage expectations
The pros and cons of F1's 2021 rule changes
In the strategy for grand prix racing's future, 2021 represents a significant step towards the goal of closer racing and a more level playing field. That's the theory behind the latest raft of changes, but will they have the desired effect?
