Wolff ‘massively annoyed’ after Russell’s late retirement at Sepang

Toto Wolff said he was “massively annoyed” after George Russell’s late retirement at Sepang, calling Sunday’s rain-delayed Bahrain Grand Prix in Malaysia one of his worst experiences. Russell ground to a halt just before Turn 1 while the field circulated behind the Safety Car.

Mercedes described Russell’s problem as a suspected power-unit issue. Wolff called it a power-unit failure, but said Mercedes had not yet assessed the problem and that the Safety Car had not caused it.

Russell called it another failure and said he had been on course for a “pretty certain podium”. He described the 2026 season as “pretty relentless”, saying many things had gone against him outside his control.

Wolff said the pace Mercedes showed over the weekend fell short of what the team had hoped for beforehand. He felt the fight with Lewis Hamilton and the sequence of Virtual Safety Cars and Safety Cars had gone against Mercedes.

Russell’s retirement was his third in 2026 and Mercedes’ fourth; Kimi Antonelli had also suffered a mechanical failure in Barcelona earlier in 2026. Wolff warned that further retirements could cost Mercedes dearly, but said he was pleased with Antonelli’s performance and confident the team would find a solution.

Kimi Antonelli finished second and leads Russell by 84 points in the drivers’ championship, with seven rounds remaining in the 2026 season.