Toto Wolff defends George Russell after costly sprint crash in Singapore
The 2026 Singapore Grand Prix sprint format severely tested the limits of the Mercedes AMG Petronas F1 Team garage. After George Russell made a rare, costly mistake and crashed his W17 into the barriers out of the lead during Saturday's wet-weather Sprint race, the factory mechanics were forced to execute a massive, frantic rebuild just to get the car ready for evening Grand Prix ... Keep reading
Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff defended his driver George Russell following a costly sprint crash at the Singapore Grand Prix. The incident occurred when Russell crashed his W17 into barriers out of the lead during Saturday's wet-weather Sprint race. Despite the extensive repairs needed, Russell managed to secure sixth place in the hastily repaired car for the evening Grand Prix qualifying.
However, due to a mandatory engine penalty, he will start from the back of the grid for the main event. Wolff admitted he was caught off guard by Russell's mistake, emphasizing it was unusual for him. He stressed the treacherous conditions on the damp street circuit and the challenging nature of running first. Although the mechanics successfully repaired the car, the rushed rebuild compromised the car's telemetry data.
Nevertheless, Wolff highlighted Russell's commendable performance in securing a strong qualifying position. The team is optimistic about the impact of the recent aerodynamic upgrades on Russell's car, which has shown promise in overcoming braking instability issues.
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