George Russell congratulated Kimi Antonelli on becoming world champion before skipping his media duties after the Mexico City Grand Prix, where he finished sixth. The 20-year-old Italian became the youngest title winner in Formula One history after finishing third in Sunday's race, which was won by Red Bull's Max Verstappen.
Russell's Difficult Season Continues
Russell entered the season as the dominant title favourite but has won just three races this season, playing second fiddle to Antonelli's consistent excellence. The 28-year-old finished sixth in Mexico City after receiving a 10-second penalty for causing a collision with Red Bull's Isack Hadjar.
Noticeably downcast over his finishing position, Russell made sure to embrace Antonelli on his title win before being allowed to skip his media duties by Mercedes. The team's initial announcement on Russell's absence came without an explanation.
Team Principal Explains Russell's Absence
Team principal Toto Wolff later revealed the reason behind it. "I saw George after the race on the FIA scales, and obviously he's distraught about the situation," Wolff said. "It was a great show of sportsmanship to go and see Kimi. I have known George for such a long time. So, I saw him and thought, for a racing driver, this is a catastrophic moment."
"And maybe today the race was a little bit a picture of his season. This was a race for him to win. We had the pace in the car. And we let him down on the first straight. The energy delivery is not what we thought it should be. And so I'm very much with him at the moment. I've been in situations where it's very, very difficult to cope."
"So, him not doing the media work, or leaving the track, is absolutely understandable. Him staying would have actually surprised me."
Impact on Standings and Antonelli's Response
Russell's absence saw Mercedes fined €5,000 (£4,173) by the FIA. The result also saw Russell drop from second to fourth in the drivers' standings after Verstappen and runner-up Lewis Hamilton moved above him.
Antonelli was critical of his own performance despite making history. "I just feel like I didn't do a good enough job out there and didn't have the most confidence. It hasn't been easy this weekend, to be fair, and especially to keep my emotions flat," he said. "Definitely I have been a bit more tense than usual, also that played a big factor. But I try to enjoy the evening with family and friends and focus on tomorrow."
The youngster has the chance to make it 10 race wins for the season at the Sao Paulo Grand Prix next week.
