General
Wolff on Russell's remarkable request: 'Not even discussing'
No podium for Mercedes in Monaco, but with fourth and fifth place, Toto Wolff is reasonably satisfied after the Grand Prix. George Russell had a virtual P3 in hand, but he wasted his chances of that by shooting straight on in the wet streets of Monaco.
Russell was only too eager to make up for his mistake. However, he was driving behind Esteban Ocon and Lewis Hamilton. Over the team radio, he asked if he could pass his teammate and compatriot in order to open the attack on Ocon as well as drive away from Charles Leclerc. Indeed, Russell had received a five-second time penalty already.
So at Mercedes, they did not go along with that. "He generally puts a lot of pressure on himself, that's his way," Wolff told ServusTV. "We might have to consult and coordinate. I don't think he also really thought we would swap positions. I said we are not even discussing that. Staying calm is important. Without his exit, it would have been a podium finish, we were ahead of Ocon."
Wolff reasonably satisfied
The Mercedes team boss continued in conversation with the Austrian television channel, "It was a race where you could do a lot wrong and fly off the track, but the pace was really good in the rain, the strategy choices were right, and then that's a result we can be happy with today." Mercedes take home 22 World Champion points.