McNish turns Wolff’s Singapore airtime joke back on Mercedes

Allan McNish had a neat answer to Toto Wolff’s joke about Audi receiving television airtime at the Singapore Grand Prix: Nico Hulkenberg was ahead of George Russell. “It was very nice of Toto, but we got airtime because we were ahead of one of his cars, I suppose,” Audi’s motorsport coordination director said.

Wolff had made the light-hearted quip after the Hulkenberg-Russell fight briefly appeared on the world feed, which usually follows the leaders and podium battles. Russell missed the pit entry during the virtual safety car for Lance Stroll and stopped just as it was cancelled, leaving him at the rear. He quickly passed Pierre Gasly, then closed on Hulkenberg but could not get by, despite fresher tyres. Hulkenberg finished eighth — his best result of the season — and Russell ninth.

McNish said Russell had two or three laps to take advantage of his fresher tyres; after that edge faded, the Mercedes driver did not have the pace to pass. Red Bull’s Isack Hadjar also could not catch Hulkenberg in clean air, McNish said, and he judged Audi level with Mercedes and Red Bull over the final 10 laps. Audi’s R26 has been competitive at some circuits, but its first in-house power unit lacked outright power. McNish regarded it as Audi’s first head-to-head with Mercedes.