Mercedes-AMG Petronas Formula 1 Team Principal Toto Wolff has indicated that the team may implement orders to assist George Russell in securing second place in the 2026 Drivers’ Championship. This consideration follows Mercedes’ recent achievement of clinching both the Constructors’ and Drivers’ titles for the 2026 season.
Kimi Antonelli secured the Drivers’ World Championship at the Mexico City Grand Prix, with Mercedes then sealing the Constructors’ Championship a week later at the São Paulo Grand Prix.
Russell currently holds third position in the Drivers’ standings with 262 points. He trails Max Verstappen, who is in second place with 279 points, by a margin of 17 points.
Lewis Hamilton is positioned fourth with 261 points, while Charles Leclerc is fifth with 249 points. Lando Norris occupies sixth place with 246 points, placing Russell within a competitive midfield battle.
Wolff addressed the possibility of team orders after the São Paulo Grand Prix. He stated that while the drivers’ championship had not been a primary focus, the team aims for Russell to maximise his points.
“I haven’t thought about the drivers’ championship yet. We absolutely want him to score the maximum and hopefully finish second. And we need to think about what we’re going to do about it. But it could be a possibility that we’re giving it all the force.”
The São Paulo Grand Prix weekend highlighted Russell’s challenges. He qualified second, 0.204 seconds behind pole-sitter Lando Norris.
Russell was on a lap that could have secured pole position but was advised to abandon it due to traffic from Alex Albon’s Williams as track conditions deteriorated with intensifying rain.
A five-place grid penalty for an engine change meant Russell started the race from seventh position.
During the race, Russell spun exiting the pit lane on slick tyres, making contact with the barrier. His race engineer, Marcus Dudley, had previously warned him about the wet pit exit.
Russell later acknowledged taking a “high risk” at the pit exit, aiming to gain an advantage. He ultimately finished the race in fourth place.
In the closing stages of the São Paulo Grand Prix, Antonelli was instructed to allow Russell to pass for fourth position. This move contributed to Mercedes securing the Constructors’ Championship.
Mercedes has previously employed team orders during the 2026 season. At the Dutch Grand Prix, Russell was asked to let Antonelli through to optimise the team’s result against Ferrari.
Wolff defended the Dutch Grand Prix decision as “damage limitation,” aligning with pre-agreed team strategies to prevent losing points.
Antonelli, at 20 years and 68 days, became Formula 1’s youngest World Champion in Mexico. He has secured nine Grand Prix victories, seven pole positions, and 16 podium finishes this season.
Russell has recorded three Grand Prix wins and eight podium finishes during the 2026 season. His victories include the Australian, Austrian, and Azerbaijan Grands Prix.
He has not achieved a podium finish in the five races since his win in Baku.
The 2026 Formula 1 season concludes with three remaining rounds: the Las Vegas Grand Prix on November 21, the Qatar Grand Prix on November 29, and the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix on December 6.
