Toto Wolff admitted that Mercedes could consider a special strategy to help George Russell finish second in the drivers’ standings with three races remaining in the 2026 Formula 1 season. The Briton is contesting the runner-up spot with Red Bull Racing’s Max Verstappen, while Kimi Antonelli had already clinched the drivers’ title last weekend at the Mexican Grand Prix.
The possibility gained momentum after the team employed team orders at the Brazilian Grand Prix this Sunday. With rain returning in the final laps, Antonelli was instructed to yield the fourth position to Russell, allowing the Briton to chase the Red Bull cars ahead.
Russell finished the race in fourth place, while Antonelli came fifth, a result that secured Mercedes the necessary points to claim the Constructors’ Championship with three races to spare.
Asked about the possibility of continuing to prioritize Russell over Antonelli in the remaining rounds, Wolff said Mercedes has not yet made a decision. However, the team principal made clear that the Briton’s final position in the championship will be taken into account.
“I haven’t given much thought to the drivers’ championship yet, but obviously, we want him to score as many points as possible and we hope he finishes in second. We need to think about what we’ll do about it,” Wolff said.
The scenario is different for Antonelli, who secured his first title in Mexico and no longer needs to defend his own chances in the championship fight. This could give Mercedes greater leeway to evaluate decisions in favor of Russell during the final three races.
The task, however, grew more difficult after the São Paulo race. Verstappen staged a remarkable comeback from 21st to second, earning 18 points and expanding his cushion in the battle for runner-up in the standings.
The Dutch driver currently sits second with 279 points. Russell is third, on 262, while Lewis Hamilton trails the Mercedes driver by one point.
With 17 points separating Russell and Verstappen, Wolff indicated that the team still needs to decide how to manage the fight in the remaining races, but did not rule out further moves to try to help the Briton reach the second spot in the championship.
