George Russell and Mercedes were the unlikely beneficiaries of Max Verstappen and Lando Norris’ race-altering crash at the Austrian GP. While the top two in the championship standings collided at turn 3 on lap 64 amid their battle for the win, Russell was quietly consolidating his third-place finish. However, as soon as they collided and suffered punctures, Toto Wolff could not keep calm and informed the #63 driver on team radio about the same, which was a “stupid thing” to do as he proclaimed later.
Wolff told Sky Sports, as quoted on Twitter (now X), “That was one of the most stupid things I’ve ever done. I didn’t check where he [George Russell] is on track. He’s braking hard from 320 kph and I tell him the two others collided. I have to think about that one”.
As Toto says, “onwards and upwards” pic.twitter.com/HkpfqeFr4L
— Mercedes-AMG PETRONAS F1 Team (@MercedesAMGF1) June 30, 2024
Russell was naturally not happy with this radio call as Wolff’s information was not helping him focus on his remaining race. With Carlos Sainz and Oscar Piastri just a few seconds behind, the race was not done for the British driver. In fact, Piastri closed in on Russell in the dying embers of the Grand Prix, being on medium tires relative to the former on hards.
Still, the 26-year-old maintained his composure to take the chequered flag in P1 to win his second Grand Prix and break Mercedes’ hiatus of not winning since his first win in Brazil in 2022. It was indeed a massive result for the Silver Arrows given their inherent struggles in the ground effect era persisting for a third year running.
Mercedes have been on an upward trajectory since their upgrades in Monaco and Canada. The new spec front wing and several other updates have made the W15 a regular podium contender. However, the Brackley outfit had to take a different approach in Austria rather than being on the offensive as they were in Canada and Spain.
George Russell and Mercedes benefitted by minding their own business
George Russell would have been quite excited to once again be P3 on the grid and have a shot to try something at the front. While the Briton did so in Barcelona, he told before the race how that was not going to be his approach for the Austrian GP.
Russell mentioned, “I think it’s a bit more challenging here. I think, you know, these guys always get their elbows out, so maybe this time it’s, you know, sit back and watch it all take place”.
The #63 driver’s strategy to just sit back and watch the battle between Verstappen and Norris unfold paid off tremendously. Russell perhaps understood how his brave lap 1 overtake in Barcelona did not help his long-term race prospects. Eventually, Lewis Hamilton overtook him to take the final spot on the podium.
P1 baby!!! It ain’t over ‘til it’s over!
Mega result for the team after all their hard work to get us back in the fight. We never gave up and always believed. Thank you all!!! pic.twitter.com/kr9adfY8Yr
— George Russell (@GeorgeRussell63) June 30, 2024
Thus, in Austria, the 26-year-old may have looked to consolidate a podium position and minded his own race. Mercedes had put Russell on a medium-medium-hard, with all drivers on a two-stopper. Their advantage was running two new sets of medium tires for two of the three stints which only left the Briton to manage a 25-lap final stint on the unfavorable hard tire, that was sliding around a lot.
Eventually, it was only going to yield Russell a P3 finish. However, Norris and Verstappen’s shenanigans got him the big bonus and Mercedes their first win of the 2024 season.
