Toto Wolff reveals problem behind George Russell’s Singapore GP recovery

Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff explained that dirty air and severe downforce loss prevented George Russell from finishing higher than ninth at the Singapore Grand Prix. Russell climbed ten positions after starting 19th on the Marina Bay street circuit due to a 60-place grid penalty for replacing multiple power-unit components. Wolff noted that despite Russell being 1.5 seconds faster than cars ahead, overtaking proved nearly impossible.

Russell also dealt with unfortunate timing when a Virtual Safety Car period ended right as he entered the pit lane. He highlighted Nico Hulkenberg's strong defense during the second stint and stated that Mercedes must prioritize finding more overall performance to match Red Bull's recent pace.