MADRID : Mercedes boss Toto Wolff has assured George Russell that the team will give him its full support to unlock his potential and challenge for Formula One championships despite the Briton being eclipsed by 20-year-old teammate Kimi Antonelli this season.
Russell, 28, began the campaign as a title favourite but has won just twice compared with Antonelli’s eight victories after 14 rounds.
The Briton remains second in the championship but finished fifth at the new Madrid circuit on Sunday, while Antonelli won the first Spanish Grand Prix held at the venue to extend his championship lead over Russell to 81 points.
“When it comes to George, you can have good races, bad races. Good years and bad years. But we’re talking about the driver that has won everything that you could have potentially won before,” Wolff told reporters at the Madring.
“Every single karting championship, Formula Three in his rookie year, Formula Two in his rookie year, (he) went into the Williams team. I mean, we’re talking about a top driver.
“We need to find out what it is for him to be able to unleash that potential. And of course there’s the psychological side,” added the Austrian.
“If you have a run like him this year you’re taking a beating but the great ones, they recover and I think that George has all he needs to fight for championships.”
Russell said on Sunday that he was no longer realistically in the title fight and was instead focused on securing strong results in the remaining races.
It is rare for a driver to win eight races in a season and fail to take the title, although it has happened before. Wolff said the championship battle could quickly change if Antonelli were to have two scoreless races.
The Mercedes boss also backed Antonelli to remain focused and avoid taking his commanding position for granted.
“Kimi, from his personality — he’s so grounded, 100% racer, not distracted from anything outside, super family situation. And that’s why I see no risk that he’s losing the plot because he’s so dominant,” Wolff said.
“I promise you that he’s not thinking about it (the title). The way this kid is able to compartmentalise, and be a young kid and then get into the car and be the mature racing driver, if he says to himself ‘I’m not thinking about the championship’, he’s not thinking about the championship.”
