Mercedes’ performance has dropped off at an alarming rate following Formula 1’s return to Europe for the first time since last summer.
George Russell had finished in the top five in every race before Imola, but he has collected just six points in the last two rounds.
It’s an indication that perhaps Mercedes’ upgrades haven’t worked, or they are yet to figure them out. They can’t rest on their laurels for too long.
The absence of team boss Toto Wolff in Imola may have been a reason for their struggles, but things were even worse at the Monaco Grand Prix. They must figure out their woes soon.
Mercedes have a ‘serious reliability issue’ and it might thwart their charge for second place in the constructors’ championship for the rest of 2025.
The team have their eyes on bigger things, though, with Wolff knowing the ‘key’ for Russell to fight for a maiden drivers’ title this season.
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George Russell will be worried by Toto Wolff’s response to Mercedes’ 2025 F1 upgrades
Russell will be concerned by Wolff and his current stance on signing a driver for 2026, with Lawrence Barretto believing that the Austrian is waiting for Max Verstappen to decide on his future.
He’s the biggest name set to be out of contract for next season, and picking the right destination ahead of the 2026 F1 regulations will be crucial.
According to BBC Sport, Wolff warned the team may not be sure whether the developments they have brought to their car have worked.
“We’ve seen, not only with us, but also with Red Bull, Ferrari, you suddenly lose a little bit of your way and you come into some kind of state where you’re not sure anymore whether an upgrade works or whether it’s the ambient conditions that have you over,” he said.
“It was always the hot races which were our Achilles’ heel last year. And the cold ones, we dominated. So we will assess. Let’s see how Barcelona goes and the following races. Definitely, it’s less of a performance than we had pre-Miami.”
READ MORE: Why George Russell once left Toto Wolff absolutely furious after costly Emilia Romagna Grand Prix incident
Will George Russell be better off at Mercedes for 2026?
With the talk of Mercedes potentially having a very strong engine behind them in 2026, they might be about to encounter a similar situation to 2014.
It was the start of their undisputed domination, and it all came from their amazing strength in the power unit department as their rivals lagged behind.
Mercedes could replace Russell with Sergio Perez, who comes with plenty of experience and is yet to retire officially.
That would leave the Brit to join someone like Red Bull or Alpine, depending on whether they snap anyone else up before he gets to them.
But Formula 1 isn’t just about the engine nowadays. It’s unlikely that Mercedes will have a free pass to dominate, making Russell’s decision a little easier.
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