Wolff stand-in responds to Russell-Hamilton argy-bargy at Suzuka
Hamilton and Russell had intense on-track battles at Suzuka, including going off track at Spoon as Hamilton defended his position. Their battle came down to the final laps, with different strategies resulting in a convergence. Team orders allowed Hamilton to pass Russell, who then faced pressure from Carlos Sainz. Mercedes reflected on the battle in the debrief, tidying up any issues. Hamilton’s one-stop strategy worked, and while it didn’t work out for Russell, it was worth the gamble. Mercedes lost ground to Ferrari in the constructors’ championship, but fifth and seventh place helped minimize the points difference.
Source: Crash
