Wolff says Russell’s Silverstone podium did not hide Mercedes discomfort

Russell salvages P2 from a difficult Silverstone weekend

Toto Wolff has admitted George Russell’s home-race podium at Silverstone did not disguise the underlying discomfort the Briton felt in his Mercedes, despite an eventual second-place finish in the British Grand Prix.

That context made his race result more valuable for Mercedes, even if it was far from straightforward. Russell fought with Max Verstappen and Lewis Hamilton across the 52-lap race before benefiting from the late Safety Car sequence to reach P2. For more on the race-specific drama around Russell’s tyre issue, read our report on how Russell’s Silverstone puncture scare still ended in a podium.

Wolff highlights confidence problem in the car

Speaking to Sky Sports F1, Wolff said the result mattered precisely because Russell had not been at ease with the car.

“The sweet part of the day today is that I'm so happy for George and all the team because, you know, he’s had difficult weekends,” Wolff reflected. “He somehow doesn't gel with the car. We had a straight line speed problem yesterday and the day before.”

For Wolff, the podium was not proof that everything had clicked. It was evidence that Russell had extracted a result while still searching for the connection drivers need to operate at their peak.

“And, you know, a driver sometimes needs to feel comfortable in the car, and he doesn't. And then scoring a P2 today in Silverstone, that's something that I'm really happy for him.”

Strategy turns the race back toward Russell

Russell’s afternoon was also threatened by a slow puncture, but Mercedes’ decision-making helped transform the outcome. The team kept him out while others pitted under Safety Car conditions, allowing him to move ahead of Hamilton and secure second place.

Russell later admitted he felt he “didn't deserve to stand where I stood”, underlining how conflicted the result felt from inside the cockpit.

Title picture remains alive

The podium brought Russell within 25 points of championship leader Antonelli, who failed to score at Silverstone because of car problems.

Asked about Russell’s position in the developing title fight, Wolff said: “I think he's holding on, you know. They have both had the luck and the unluck of the year – Kimi now twice, George once.”

Wolff added that Russell must keep believing while Mercedes works to identify the “little gremlins in the car” currently troubling him.

With Belgium and Hungary next, Wolff’s message was simple: “recalibrate, recover” and return stronger after the break.