Toto Wolff Admits to ‘Single Dumbest’ Radio Call During George Russell’s Astonishing Austrian GP Win

Toto Wolff describes his radio communication with George Russell as the "most foolish" action he has taken at Mercedes.

Toto Wolff has confessed that his radio communication to George Russell during the F1 Austrian Grand Prix was the "most foolish thing" he has ever done while at Mercedes.

Russell capitalized on an incident involving front-runners Max Verstappen and Lando Norris to secure a surprising second win in his Formula 1 career during the thrilling race at the Red Bull Ring on Sunday.

In the aftermath of the incident that eliminated Verstappen and Norris from the race, Mercedes team principal Wolff communicated with Russell over the team radio, encouraging him with the words, "you can win this." Russell, in turn, asked Wolff to allow him to focus on driving.

Discussing his conversation with Russell following the race, Wolff expressed that he will always feel embarrassed about the timing of his message.

Wolff expressed to the media, including Crash.net in Austria, that he believes he understands the drivers' psychology well. He mentioned that his extensive time spent with them has given him insight into when they need motivation or redirection.

“This is undoubtedly the most foolish mistake I've made in my 12 years with Mercedes. I will always feel embarrassed about it because you must choose the right moment to communicate with the driver, avoiding times when they are braking or navigating high-speed turns."

"I didn't check the GPS; I just noticed the two of them knocking each other out. We anticipated it, and in a moment of excitement, I pressed the button and thought, 'We can win this.' With that message, I could have taken him out! Just imagine how that would have felt."

"I feel deeply moved. It's great to see our team succeed and to watch Lewis and George perform admirably. I got caught up in the moment, but honestly, it was quite embarrassing!"

Russell mentioned that he "nearly collided" when Wolff informed him that he had a chance to secure victory in the race.

"Racing on those hard tires was quite challenging for me. Then out of nowhere, Toto started shouting in my ear, 'You can win this!'" Russell recalled.

"I nearly had an accident when he yelled right next to my ears because it was so loud, but I believe it really demonstrates the enthusiasm we all have."

"Clearly, the past few years have been challenging for us, so it’s fantastic to return to the leading position."

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