Conflict between Hamilton and Russell due to Wolff's absence?

Toto Wolff watched his two drivers crash from home during the Qatar Grand Prix. Yet it seemed like the Mercedes team boss was there because he could be heard over the team radio. At the press conference, Wolff explained how that was and his verdict on the incident between George Russell and Lewis Hamilton.

Normally, the camera would show a frustrated Wolff in the pit garage. In fact, Wolff was not present for that Grand Prix after an operation. Still, Wolff experienced it as if he was there, as the team boss could hear everything and could follow the team radio.

Argument at Mercedes while Wolff is away

"I was completely plugged in. I have a pit wall or centre console set up at home. So I’m part of every briefing or debriefing and the conversations during the race. You've got to let the guys here fly the aeroplane because when you're remote, I need to almost always take myself back a little bit because you're distant, you don't look into the faces, you don't see what's going on emotionally with the people around you, and you feel in a certain way detached. So it's not something that I enjoy, but it was a necessity."

Wolff also missed the Japanese Grand Prix. Things also went wrong there. "There were some unpleasant situations that we have talked about. We left many points on the table, but nobody is more aware than the drivers. Sometimes, you need these moments to recalibrate and recondition and avoid similar situations in the future. But they are racing drivers. They compete hard. Your first competitor is your teammate."

Asked if it might not have been a coincidence that things went wrong precisely when Wolff was away for a while, the team boss has to laugh. "No, I don't think so. We've laughed about that too in the team, but I don't think it has an effect," the Austrian concluded.