Toto Wolff has said Max Verstappen would get the same freedom at Mercedes as he does at Red Bull amid the Dutchman's 2030 contract extension.
https://t.co/EKpHrq1nS5
5 years ago today, George Russell put a Williams on the front row in the wet at Spa in one of the most jaw-dropping qualifying performances in recent memory 😳
He even outqualified Mercedes driver and future teammate Lewis Hamilton
Having george do all the work for a wdc who can’t even give a tow without it beinf “rehearsed”
Enjoy the money til it lasts, I wonder what will happen to this clueless remains of a team once george leaves…
@MercedesAMGF1@akkodis_global Yоu'd bе hаppy to ditch Gеоrge аnd let Lеwis оvеrtake him, sо you cоuld then sаy оn the pоdium thаt Lеwis is still yоur drivеr. I rеmеmber тоtо's wоrds аbоut a drivеr's shеlf lifе it wаs disgusting
wished so bad to be proven wrong here, but of course:
Wolff has confirmed a full PU upgrade at Monza for Antonelli because "that's the best track to take it [the grid penalties]".
but for Russell, "discussions are ongoing about where to take it" - because apparently, the best track to take it isn't quite the right answer for him. How peculiar.
the ADUO upgrade has not been officially confirmed yet in English articles, but Italian media has confirmed it,
and Mercedes won't risk grid penalties if not for the ADUO.
Russell has used up 1 more PU component than Antonelli this season. MORE, not less.
Sure, he does have less mileage on his ICE and TC - ONLY because Mercedes had waited for his ICE to crack open instead of switching it out for precautionary purposes like they did for Antonelli - but counterintuitively, he is STILL the one getting disproportionately disadvantaged by his PU.
They had stabbed him in Hungary immediately after the new parts were fitted, and they had attacked him in the Dutch GP as well:
because after a flawless Sprint Quali and Sprint, Russell suddenly had ANOTHER deployment issue in early laps that let Piastri fly past with a breeze - up to Lap 7. (Suzuka flashbacks, anyone?)
So, on top of the >Software< problems that's affecting Russell every single race weekend,
he will now also have the inferior PU >Hardware< for a minimum of 2 GPs.
& perhaps MORE IMPORTANTLY:
He'll have a PU deficit not only to his teammate,
but also to the two Ferraris, confirmed to bring their 2nd ADUO update to Monza as well,
and possibly also the McLarens (depending on where they take the upgraded Mercedes PU).
Mercedes is yet AGAIN throwing Russell to the Ferrari lion den in favor of protecting Antonelli - despite after seeing this weekend: Russell dominates his teammate when given a functioning car and software.
In both Race strategies and Season updates strategies, the @MercedesAMGF1 team are making incomprehensible decisions that indicate they are willing to RISK their Constructors' Championship for something else -
And the only gain from these decisions seem to be protection for a certain Driver's championship points.
Is that the "championship" Wolff says he's "fight[ing] for"?
It had felt unthinkable, but now - there doesn't seem to be any other logical explanation.
@MercedesAMGF1 Chоke оn it—tаke 8, but lеаve 1, dо yоu hаvе a cоnsciеncе? Gеnghis Khаn lеft mоre, H* lеft mоre thаn yоu, whаt thе hеll are yоu dоing? Thе еntire pеоple оf оurs will cursе yоu, еveryone will cursе yоu, аnd you’ll be аfraid to even say you’re from Mercedes