Wolff: Russell's Mexico media snub understandable after Antonelli title

George Russell left the Mexico City Grand Prix without completing post-race media duties after watching Mercedes teammate Kimi Antonelli clinch the 2026 world championship. Toto Wolff said the decision was fully understandable, describing the afternoon as a “catastrophic moment” for a driver who had entered the season as the title favourite. Mercedes were fined €5,000 by the FIA for Russell’s non-appearance.

Why it matters:

Russell’s absence underscored the emotional weight of a lopsided intra-team battle. Antonelli, 20, has won nine races to Russell’s three and became F1’s youngest champion in only his second season. Russell, 28, has admitted this has been the most disappointing campaign of his career at the moment he needed to deliver most.

The details:

• Wolff praised Russell for congratulating Antonelli before leaving the track, calling it “a great show of sportsmanship.”
• “For a sportsperson, for a racing driver, this is a catastrophic moment,” Wolff said. “Him staying would have actually surprised me.”
• Russell started second but lost ground immediately, collided with Isack Hadjar, received a 10-second penalty and finished sixth.
• He has now slipped to fourth in the drivers’ standings, behind Max Verstappen and Lewis Hamilton.
• Wolff said the race mirrored Russell’s season: Mercedes had the pace, but “we let him down on the first straight” with energy delivery below expectations.

What’s next:

Russell must regroup with only pride left to race for while Mercedes examines the power-unit issue that compromised his Mexico start. The bigger question is how he responds alongside a newly crowned champion teammate.