Wolff open to team orders to help Russell finish second

Mercedes team boss Toto Wolff has said the team could prioritise George Russell over the remaining races of the 2026 season to help him finish second in the drivers' standings. Mercedes has already secured both the drivers' and constructors' championships with three rounds to go, with Kimi Antonelli winning the drivers' title in Mexico.

Russell has slipped to third behind Max Verstappen after five races without a podium, and is only 16 points clear of Lando Norris in sixth. Antonelli was ordered to let Russell through at Interlagos while Mercedes chased a podium, and Wolff said the team would need to decide how to respond. "I haven't thought about the drivers' championship yet," he said. "We absolutely want him to score the maximum and hopefully finish second."

Russell had a difficult weekend in Sao Paulo, missing out on pole after being told to abandon a qualifying lap behind Alex Albon's Williams, and then spinning after starting seventh from a grid penalty. Wolff said he had no doubt Russell would recover.