The Mercedes boss acknowledged that the Briton hasn't quite found the right feeling with the car: "He doesn't feel comfortable, and getting a second place at Silverstone is something I'm very happy about for him" declared Wolff.
Toto Wolff, Mercedes team principal, has acknowledged that George Russell's podium at the British Grand Prix does not hide the fact that the Briton does not feel comfortable with the W17. This problem has weighed down his performance in recent races: "He doesn't feel comfortable with the car. We had a straight-line speed problem yesterday, and the day before, sometimes a driver needs to feel comfortable in the car, and he doesn't. Getting a second place today at Silverstone is something I'm very happy about for him," declared Wolff to Sky Sports F1.
Russell arrived at Silverstone hoping to improve his performance after a complicated weekend in Austria, but the difficulties continued. The Briton had a bad start to qualifying when he went off into the gravel in Q1 and struggled to find pace in the sprint, where he was fourth.
However, in Sunday's race, Russell managed to capitalize on the circumstances and got on the podium thanks to a successful strategy that allowed him to jump from fourth to second position during the Safety Car in the final laps.
Russell acknowledged that he didn't deserve the podium: "I didn't deserve to be where I was" admitted the Briton, who despite his discomfort, the result has allowed him to close the gap in the drivers' championship, reducing his deficit to Kimi Antonelli from 40 to 25 points after the Italian was left without points due to mechanical problems.
Wolff highlighted the importance of perseverance in such a long season: "I think he's hanging in there, both have had the luck and bad luck of the year, Kimi twice, George once. The season is long, he just needs to keep believing he can do it, find those small problems in the car that are causing him difficulties right now" said the Mercedes boss.
The British driver has had an irregular start to the season with a win in Australia, retirements in China and Canada, and discreet performances in Miami and Monaco. The lack of confidence in the car has been a recurring theme in his statements, and Wolff trusts that the team can find solutions for Russell to feel more comfortable behind the wheel: "I think recalibrate, recover, we have a weekend off and then come back strong for the last two races," concluded Wolff.
Mercedes hopes that the upcoming races in Hungary and Belgium will be more favorable for Russell and that the Briton can find the confidence he needs to fight for wins.
