Wolff waves away Russell radio complaints during Brazil GP
Wolff waves away Russell radio complaints during Brazil GP
Mercedes principal Toto Wolff has played down George Russell's complaints over the team radio during the Brazilian Grand Prix, labelling his claims as nothing more than "a complete sideshow".
Russell was forced to retire from the Sao Paulo Grand Prix on the 57th lap due to concerns of his car overheating, potentially causing further issues.
The British driver repeatedly voiced his frustration about his performance over the team radio before eventually retiring from the race.
"My feeling is we don’t have the pace," Russell said over the radio. "I'm sliding. Are we working together here or are we just doing our own race?
"Do you want to race or concede positions? You want more management, or we go backwards."
However, Wolff has brushed off claims of poor management by Russell and instead pointed to the issue with the car being its speed.
"I think the race [management] and the messages for us today are completely irrelevant," Wolff said. "There was nothing to manage or nothing to say, it's a complete sideshow. I think the fundamental issue is that the car was slow.
"So, I've no problem with things being broadcasted or not because whether it's controversial or not, fundamentally if there's no performance like that and it's off then who cares?"
READ MORE: Hamilton makes gloomy Red Bull prediction ahead of 2024
Mercedes frustration
Russell appeared to have regained composure after the race but still conveyed his disappointment with the car.
"Still not too sure what that is as yet," Russell said. "But the pace just hasn't been there. We thought yesterday may have been a one off but clearly it wasn't.
"The car was just slow this weekend. The tyres were just sliding around, and I think that what we were doing was the maximum.
"As I said, something doesn't quite add up, we don't just suddenly lose a second's worth of performance and go from a podium fighting car, to just fighting for points.”
The entire Mercedes team expressed their frustration with the performance in Brazil, with Wolff deeming it 'inexcusable'.
"Inexcusable performance," Wolff said. "There are no words. That car finished second last week and the week before and whatever we did to it was horrible.
"Lewis survived out there, but I can only feel for the two driving such a miserable thing. It shows how difficult the car is and it's on a knife's edge.
"This car doesn't deserve a win. But the performance today, I'm just lacking words."
Lewis Hamilton endured a mediocre race, finishing in eighth place. He also shared a similar perspective with his colleagues.
"We're pretty slow through the straights and pretty slow through the corners. One to forget, but hopefully there are lots of learnings from today.
"One thing the car is really unpredictable in the sense of one weekend it feels good, one session it feels good. I'm sure we'll go and look at things and find out we should have done these differently.
"But with the one session, it's difficult. Two more races with this thing and hopefully no more driving it!"
READ MORE: Ferrari drivers make identical criticism after Brazilian GP woes
Related
Change your timezone:
Latest News
Newey Red Bull exit details confirmed as Ferrari make dramatic unveiling - GPFans F1 Recap
- Yesterday 23:57
Award-winning director reveals STUNNING tribute to F1 legend Senna
- Yesterday 22:57
Ferrari fans BEG for Newey after team reveal shock change
- Yesterday 21:57
Newey manager hints at Red Bull legend's SHOCK next move after exit
- Yesterday 20:57
Ecclestone ATTACKS Hamilton 'ego' after Ferrari move
- Yesterday 19:57
- 1
Newey and Hamilton could enjoy stunning title REPEAT after F1 guru's Red Bull exit
- Yesterday 18:58
Related news
Hamilton and Wolff centre stage as F1 shuts down New York for new emoji launch
F1 wonderkid in Imola TEST amid driver replacement reports
Mercedes reveal shock RED livery to celebrate historic milestone
Verstappen 'to meet Mercedes over SHOCK 2025 move as Red Bull exit clause revealed'
F1 Standings
Drivers
- Oliver Bearman
- Charles Leclerc
- Carlos Sainz
- Lando Norris
- Oscar Piastri
- Pierre Gasly
- Esteban Ocon
- Sergio Pérez
- Max Verstappen
- Alexander Albon
- Logan Sargeant
- Lewis Hamilton
- George Russell
- Nico Hülkenberg
- Kevin Magnussen
- Fernando Alonso
- Lance Stroll
- Valtteri Bottas
- Zhou Guanyu
- Daniel Ricciardo
- Yuki Tsunoda
Races
- Gulf Air Grand Prix of Bahrain 2024
- Saudi Arabian Grand Prix 2024
- Grand Prix of Australia 2024
- MSC Cruises Grand Prix of Japan 2024
- Grand Prix of China 2024
- Miami Grand Prix 2024
- Gran Premio dell'Emilia Romagna 2024
- Grand Prix of Monaco 2024
- Grand Prix du Canada 2024
- Gran Premio de España 2024
- Grand Prix of Austria 2024
- Grand Prix of Great Britain 2024
- Grand Prix of Hungary 2024
- Grand Prix of Belgium 2024
- Heineken Dutch Grand Prix 2024
- Grand Prix of Italy 2024
- Grand Prix of Azerbaijan 2024
- Grand Prix of Singapore 2024
- Grand Prix of the United States 2024
- Gran Premio de la Ciudad de Mexico 2024
- Grande Prêmio de São Paulo 2024
- Heineken Silver Las Vegas Grand Prix 2024
- Qatar Grand Prix 2024
- Grand Prix of Abu Dhabi 2024
About GPFans
GPFans is a multi-platform, multi-language brand dedicated to Formula One coverage. We bring you all the ins and outs of the sport, 24/7, everything from up-to-the-minute news and features to the latest viral stories and clips.We believe that a new generation of exciting, outspoken drivers will make F1 more popular than ever before, and we want to give our users access to as much of their heroes as possible, on and off the track. From Lewis Hamilton to Max Verstappen, Daniel Ricciardo to Sebastian Vettel, we provide in-depth analysis of every every Grand Prix in the season, from Australia to Abu Dhabi.
With Formula One under the new ownership of Liberty Media, how the sport is being covered is evolving, and GPFans will look to be at the heart of this progression into new media, as one of the fastest-growing sites covering the king of motorsports.
Follow us on your favorite social media channel
Corporate & Media
Innovatieweg 20C7007 CD, Doetinchem, Netherlands
+31645516860