Mercedes principal Toto Wolff insists George Russell will respond strongly in the F1 title fight despite being overtaken in momentum by teammate Kimi Antonelli.
Russell, who had looked like an early championship contender after a dominant win in Melbourne, now trails Antonelli by 20 points after the Italian’s impressive run of three consecutive victories in China, Japan and Miami reshaped the intra-team battle.
Miami proved particularly difficult for Russell, who struggled for pace throughout the weekend and finished well behind Antonelli, marking one of his toughest outings of the season so far. The result extended a swing in form that has seen Antonelli establish himself as the driver to beat inside Mercedes.
However, Wolff has moved to calm any doubts over Russell’s response, making clear he expects the 28-year-old to rebound quickly as the season heads to Canada.
“George is a killer. What makes him so good is he never stops fighting or attacking,” Wolff said. “He’s going for this and won’t leave a stone unturned.”
The Mercedes boss added that Russell’s methodical approach to setbacks will help him reset after Miami, pointing to Canada as an ideal opportunity for a turnaround given the Briton’s strong record at the circuit.
“These things, he analyses them, looks at the data, comes to his conclusions,” Wolff explained. “He’s looking forward to Montreal.”
Russell himself has remained composed despite the shift in momentum, stressing that championship swings are normal over a long season and insisting he is focused on rediscovering winning form rather than the standings.
“I’m not even considering it,” Russell said of the title race. “I just want to get back on the top step of the podium.”
While Antonelli’s rise has added pressure within Mercedes, Wolff believes the internal battle is far from settled, insisting both drivers will continue to trade results across the remaining rounds.
“I have no doubt the two of them will fight for points throughout the season,” he added.
