The boss of the Mercedes team, Toto Wolff, admitted that his decision to shout on the team radio to George Russell during the Austrian GP was not wise. He acknowledged that this radio message could have caused an accident involving Russell.
Wolff, who has spent a lot of time with drivers in Formula 1, believed he understood their needs. However, he described his decision to shout on the radio as the silliest thing he has done in his 12 years at Mercedes. He acknowledged that this mistake stood out as particularly reckless, despite his usual understanding of his drivers’ psychology.
Furthermore, Wolff expressed deep regret and stated that he will always feel ashamed of the incident. He explained the importance of choosing the right moments to send messages to drivers during a race. Timing is crucial, as it should never be done while the driver is braking or navigating high-speed corners. These moments require maximum focus, and any distraction can lead to errors or accidents.
Wolff acknowledged that his communication may have inadvertently disrupted Russell’s race due to the wrong timing. He confessed that he did not check the GPS or Russell’s location on the track before sending the message. Instead, his decision was driven by emotion, especially the excitement of potentially winning the race, rather than strategically evaluating Russell’s situation.
Furthermore, Wolff expressed his satisfaction with the opportunity Russell had when the incident occurred. As the boss of Mercedes, he takes great pleasure in seeing his drivers succeed in Formula 1. Fans were also delighted to witness Russell’s unexpected victory at the Red Bull Ring.
