George Russell skipped media duties after the Mexico City Grand Prix as boss Toto Wolff admitted his driver was suffering a “catastrophic moment” with team-mate Kimi Antonelli celebrating winning the world championship.
Russell, 28, was the heavy pre-season title favourite but Antonelli has turned the tables on his experienced team-mate to become the youngest champion in F1 history.
The 20-year-old has nine wins to Russell’s three, storming to the championship in just his second season in the sport.
Russell admitted this week that this has been the most disappointing season of his career, at the moment he needed to deliver most.
He graciously congratulated Antonelli in the moments after the race, before Mercedes allowed him to leave the track.
“He’s distraught about the situation. It was a great show of sportsmanship to go and see Kimi,” Wolff said.
“I have known George for such a long time and I know for a sportsperson, for a racing driver, this is a catastrophic moment.
“I’ve been in situations where it’s very, very difficult to cope. So him not doing the media work or leaving the track is absolutely understandable. Him staying would have actually surprised me.”
Mercedes were fined €5,000 ($5,610) by the FIA due to Russell’s non-appearance post-race.
Russell started Sunday’s race from second but was swallowed up by a host of cars on the run down to turn one as his Mercedes appeared to struggle for power.
He then bashed into Red Bull’s Isack Hadjar, being hit with a 10-second penalty, and ended the race sixth.
Russell is now fourth in the drivers’ championship having been leapfrogged by Max Verstappen and Lewis Hamilton.
“Maybe the race was a little bit a picture of his season. This was a race for him to win. We had the pace in the car,” Wolff added.
“And we let him down on the first straight. The energy delivery is not what we thought it should be. And so I’m very much with him at the moment.”
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