Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff has assured that both George Russell and Lewis Hamilton will be treated equally for the remainder of the season, even as Hamilton, the seven-time world champion, prepares to depart.
During the Monaco Grand Prix, Mercedes had only one updated front wing for the W15. Russell used this new component, while Hamilton continued with the older version. Mercedes later clarified that Hamilton had chosen not to use the new front wing after testing it in the simulator. He will, however, have the new front wing for the upcoming Canadian Grand Prix.
Wolff emphasized that Mercedes is committed to providing both drivers with equal equipment and support, regardless of Hamilton’s impending exit.
“Drivers can sometimes be skeptical, but as a team, we strive to ensure fairness and transparency, even in highly competitive situations between teammates. Our goal is to provide both drivers with the best possible cars, strategies, and support,” Wolff stated.
Mercedes has struggled in the new era of ground-effect cars, failing to secure a podium finish this year. The team’s best results have been two fifth-place finishes by George Russell in Bahrain and Monaco. This performance marks a significant decline from their status as the second-quickest team in previous seasons, now falling behind Red Bull, McLaren, and Ferrari.
Wolff acknowledged the difficulty of maintaining dominance after a long period of success. “We have won 115 races but have been defeated in the last 50. This situation is far from our expectations and is quite challenging. However, considering Ferrari hasn’t won a constructors’ championship since 2008 and Red Bull experienced an eight-year drought while we dominated, we need to keep our current struggles in perspective. It’s only our third year without a championship, not eight or sixteen,” Wolff concluded.
