Russell’s Mercedes problems ‘100% on us’, says Toto Wolff after Belgium blow
Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff accepted responsibility for George Russell's poor performance and early exit at the Belgian Grand Prix. Russell, who crashed with teammate Lewis Hamilton, cited power unit issues as a major factor in his difficult weekend.
Why it matters
The admission of technical failure by Mercedes underscores the competitive pressure and internal challenges within the team during the 2026 season.
George Russell departed the Belgian Grand Prix after a first-lap crash with Lewis Hamilton. George Russell departed the Belgian Grand Prix after a first-lap crash with Lewis Hamilton. Formula One 2026 Russell’s Mercedes problems ‘100% on us’, says Toto Wolff after Belgium blow Russell clipped by Hamilton on lap one after power loss
British driver 50 points behind Antonelli in standings
Prefer the Guardian on Google Toto Wolff, the Mercedes principal, has admitted the team let George Russell down at the Belgian Grand Prix. The British driver failed to score a point after a clash with Lewis Hamilton that Russell attributed to his car’s performance not being up to scratch.
The race was won by Kimi Antonelli , who now leads his teammate Russell by 50 points in the world championship, a serious blow to the latter’s title hopes.
Get smarter about the news
Sign up free for a feed built around what you actually care about, Dive Deeper research on any story, and the full text of every article.
Create free accountAlready have an account? Sign in