Toto Wolff has credited George Russell as a key reason Mercedes felt confident handing a race seat to Kimi Antonelli, who has become Formula One world champion in just his second season.
The Italian secured the title with a podium finish at the Mexican Grand Prix, following a run of five consecutive victories between China and Monaco that put him out of reach of his rivals.
Russell's Difficult Season
Russell won the season-opening race in Australia but has since added only two more grand prix victories. While Antonelli thrived, the Briton struggled to adapt to the new generation of F1 cars, with a persistent Mercedes engine issue also leaving him down on power at times.
That combination has dropped Russell to fourth in the standings, while his teammate has already wrapped up the championship.
The Internal Email
An internal email from Wolff to Mercedes staff, shared online by deputy team principal Bradley Lord, singled out Russell for praise despite his difficult year.
Wolff wrote: "There was plenty of criticism, both from within the sport and outside it, about putting an 18-year-old into a Mercedes. And when Kimi went through a difficult period, with several races without scoring points, those doubts understandably grew louder. But we had never expected his first year in Formula 1 to be without setbacks. Quite the opposite."
He added: "And one of the reasons we could take that leap was George. This wasn't George's year. He and the car weren't always the best of friends, and I know how frustrating that has been for him. But we could only take the risk of putting Kimi in the car because we knew we already had a champion and a number one driver in George."
Russell's Reaction
After the race in Mexico City, Russell shook hands with Antonelli and his family at parc ferme but did not join the team's later celebrations, making a swift exit from the track with the team's blessing.
Wolff told reporters he fully understood Russell's need to leave the paddock quickly, and the internal email also acknowledged the challenges Russell faced this season.
