Mercedes explains George Russell’s Mexico media no-show after Antonelli title defeat

Mercedes has confirmed George Russell skipped post-race media in Mexico because he was “distraught” after Kimi Antonelli clinched the world title. Russell congratulated his teammate but left without speaking to reporters, earning Mercedes a €5,000 fine.

Why it matters:

The moment captures the split inside Mercedes: Antonelli became F1’s youngest champion in his second season, while Russell’s title bid ended in a race damaged by a team power-unit problem and an early penalty.

The details:

• Wolff said Russell was “distraught” on the FIA scales and called the media no-show understandable.
• He praised Russell’s sportsmanship in congratulating Antonelli, noting he helped bring the young driver into the team.
• Russell started second but lost ground on lap one due to an energy-delivery issue Mercedes accepts blame for.
• A five-second penalty for colliding with Isack Hadjar followed; he finished sixth.
• Wolff said Mercedes had the pace to win but “let him down on the first straight.”

What’s next:

Mercedes must balance celebrating Antonelli’s breakthrough with supporting Russell. Wolff’s public backing suggests the team sees his Mexico exit as an emotional response, not a disciplinary matter, but Russell’s final races will be watched closely.