Toto Wolff frustrated with what people are saying about Mercedes driver George Russell, ‘that’s not right…’

Toto Wolff has hit out at claims concerning George Russell after the Mercedes racer’s strong start to the 2025 F1 season with back-to-back podiums in Australia and China.

The 27-year-old is enjoying his strongest start to a season yet after taking successive third-place results. Russell had only ever had back-to-back podiums in the pinnacle of motorsport once before back in 2022, his first year at Mercedes, over the French and Hungarian races.

Third-place finishes in the Australian Grand Prix and the Chinese Grand Prix to start his 2025 campaign further puts Russell third in the F1 drivers’ championship with 35 points. He trails McLaren pilot Lando Norris by nine points plus Red Bull’s champion Max Verstappen by one.

Toto Wolff is frustrated with the little fanfare George Russell gets at Mercedes

Yet despite Russell’s strong start to the season, Mercedes team principal Wolff has hit out at the lack of fanfare the Briton receives. Wolff believes Russell was overlooked by many ahead of the 2025 Formula 1 campaign in favour of focusing on Lewis Hamilton and Kimi Antonelli.

Hamilton dominated the headlines with his move to Ferrari, while Mercedes promoted their academy prospect Antonelli to replace the seven-time F1 champion beside Russell. Antonelli even became the third-youngest driver to start a Formula 1 Grand Prix yet in Australia at 18.

READ MORE: Mercedes driver George Russell’s life outside F1 from net worth to height

Russell staying under the radar frustrated Wolff as the Mercedes chief is convinced he is one of the top three drivers on the 2025 F1 grid. The King’s Lynn native could even be on his way to being the best driver on the grid given how Russell scored P3 in the Chinese GP, for Wolff.

“I never give 10/10 because I think there is always better,” Wolff stated, via Sky Sports. “We haven’t seen the perfect race but considering the circumstances that George had in China, it is a 10/10. He extracted the maximum of this car, tyres, strategy and it was a brilliant drive.

“All these discussions about Lewis who is the biggest person in the sport leaving to Ferrari is a great story [and] Kimi coming in as the youngest driver and the high potential, and little was said about George.

“I always said that’s not right because he’s one of the top drivers out there. If you want me to name three that I consider to be the top [drivers], he’s absolutely among those three – if not top two and maybe on his way to top one.”

George Russell can use Toto Wolff’s praise in Mercedes contract talks with deal expiring

It could be argued that Russell flying under the radar over the winter rightly frustrated Wolff given his results for Mercedes beside Hamilton over the past three seasons. But it could also have been to the Silver Arrows’ profit with the three-time Grand Prix winner out of contract.

Russell’s £12.5m-a-year Mercedes contract is presently due to expire after the 2025 season, when Antonelli is also currently set to be a free agent. It could work in Mercedes’ benefit in any negotiations if Russell flies under the radar rather than be viewed as a top-three driver.

Yet Wolff has voiced his support for the Briton and Russell has impressed many with his P3s in Australia and China. Jolyon Palmer loved Russell’s overtake on Norris in Shanghai as they fought for P2 during the pit stop phase, which the Mercedes ace turned into a one-stopper.