P1racenews AI automatic summary:
Mercedes boss Toto Wolff has admitted George Russell could have avoided his mistakes in Formula 1’s Canadian Grand Prix, but he denied that it cost the side a win. Russell controlled proceedings from pole position up until Lap 21 when a resurgent Lando Norris sliced past and opened up a seven-second plus advantage out front. […]
“Russell led the race from pole position until Lap 21, when Lando Norris overtook him and built a significant lead. Despite briefly regaining second place after McLaren’s pit wall decision, Russell lost ground when he went wide at Turn 8. He managed to finish third after a late Safety Car period, even though beating Max Verstappen was considered a long shot by Toto Wolff. Wolff acknowledged that a victory was unlikely, despite a moment when Russell was closing in with strong pace. Russell’s clash with Piastri affected his position, but he recovered to finish ahead of Hamilton. Wolff praised Russell’s aggressive driving style but also noted that some mistakes could have been avoided. He dismissed the idea that Russell’s incident with Piastri cost him the win, focusing instead on the positive progress made by Mercedes in terms of speed and development.”
