Home » Sports » Formula 1 » Mercedes-AMG Petronas

Toto Wolff admits Mercedes ‘problem’ that makes George Russell slower than Kimi Antonelli

Mercedes F1 CEO and team principal Toto Wolff is adamant that George Russell “is not slower” than Andrea Kimi Antonelli, as a “problem” with the…

By Kyle Archer · F1 Oversteer

Published: Wednesday, 28 October 2026 at 1:30 PM

Key Things to Know

Toto Wolff stated that the Mercedes W17's narrow setup window has caused George Russell to struggle behind Kimi Antonelli.
Wolff insisted Russell is not slower than Antonelli and called the pace deficit a car problem Mercedes must solve.
Andrea Kimi Antonelli needs to finish ninth or higher at the Mexico City Grand Prix to secure the 2026 drivers' title.

The Story in 60 Seconds

Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff stated that a car setup problem is holding back George Russell compared to Andrea Kimi Antonelli. Wolff insisted that Russell is not inherently slower than his teammate, but explained that the W17 has a narrow operating window that makes Russell struggle more with finding the right pace when the setup falls outside of it.

Antonelli enters the Mexico City Grand Prix needing only a ninth-place finish to secure the 2026 Formula 1 drivers' championship. The Italian holds a 123-point lead over Russell after claiming nine race wins to Russell's three across the opening 18 rounds of the season.

Read the full article on F1 Oversteer

Toto Wolff admits Mercedes ‘problem’ that makes George Russell slower than Kimi Antonelli

More Mercedes Amg Petronas News

Never Miss a Sports Update