Toto Wolff has explained George Russell’s second pit stop at the Imola Grand Prix that saw the Mercedes driver lose sixth place.
Russell‘s strategy at the Emilia Romagna Grand Prix has sparked discussion among fans and analysts alike. The British driver had been ahead of teammate Lewis Hamilton for most of the race, however when he pitted a second time, he finished in seventh place, just behind the fellow Brit.
Mercedes Team Principal Toto Wolff has provided insights into this decision. Mercedes’ wear forecasts indicated a risk that Russell might not have reached the chequered flag on his existing set of tyres.
With Sergio Pérez pushing hard for Red Bull, Mercedes identified a strategic opportunity. By pitting Russell, they aimed to keep him ahead of Pérez and secure the bonus point for the fastest lap. This also would secure a P6 and P7 finish for their drivers.
“It’s not possible to see it in terms of the result, but we have taken a small step forward this weekend,” Wolff stated.
He noted that while their closest competitors have also made recent gains, Mercedes has slightly closed the gap to the front. Despite the frustration of finishing P6 and P7, Wolff believes that incremental gains are crucial for competing with the top three teams.
Regarding Russell’s second stop, Wolff explained, “Our wear forecasts showed that he may struggle to make it last to the end of the race on the hard tyre.
“We had the opportunity to pit and get out ahead of Pérez, and therefore opted to stop him. That also enabled us to go for the fastest lap point. It cost George a place to Lewis, but ultimately the team was able to score an additional point.”
🎙| Ted : “George asked 'Can I have my sixth place back?' And the team said, No, you can't. Lewis will keep it.”
— Hamilton Insights (@LH44_insights) May 19, 2024
🎙| Toto : “Lewis would have probably taken him anyway”
🧋🙃#ImolaGP 🇮🇹pic.twitter.com/X70EdX7O9K
“I’m Not Going to Sulk”
Russell, reflecting on the race, maintained a positive perspective despite losing a position. He recognised that the decision aimed at maximising team points rather than individual placement.
“As a driver, you want to finish [in] the highest position possible and all weekend I’d been ahead of my teammate,” Russell shared with media.
He acknowledged the strategy behind the pit stop, noting, “I was ahead the whole race comfortably, and then that was sort of just losing the position for the sake of it.”
He did not dwell on the outcome, understanding the broader strategy at play. “So we’ve got the extra point, but as I said, I’m not going to sulk about it tonight. It’s P6, it’s not for a podium or victory,” he concluded.
While the result left both Wolff and Russell desiring more, the team remains focused on continuous improvement to challenge Red Bull, McLaren, and Ferrari.
Do they have what it takes to become a frontrunner team again? With recent departures to Ferrari, one wonders.