Mercedes blames start issue on team mistakes, not George Russell
Motorsport.com • 1 min read • Latest: Jul 26, 2026, 5:32 PM
Last updated Jul 26, 2026
Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff stated that George Russell was not at fault for the botched start during the Formula 1 Hungarian Grand Prix. Russell dropped from sixth on the grid to 20th position following a miscommunication in the car's setup just before the race began. Wolff emphasized the team made several errors, which contributed to the problem. The incident occurred on July 26, 2026, as the race was underway.
- •Mercedes' Toto Wolff clears George Russell of blame.
- •Russell fell from sixth to 20th at race start.
- •Team errors led to the miscommunication.
- •The Grand Prix is currently ongoing.
- 5:32 PMMotorsport.com — 'Too many mistakes' – Mercedes admits Hungarian GP start issue wasn't George Russell's fault
"Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff has absolved George Russell of responsibility for the botched start which dropped him from sixth on the grid to 20th place at the first corner of the Formula 1 Hungarian Grand Prix. The car appeared to be responding to inputs correctly on its way to the grid as Russell followed the tyre-warming instructions relayed to him by engineer Marcus Dudley, including a ...Keep reading
Sources
External linksOriginal reporting and copyright belong to the linked sources. SportsNewsReport.com aggregates and links — it does not republish full articles.
Related Stories
Last 14 days- F1•Jul 28, 2026, 8:00 PMRed Bull Poach Mercedes’ Kimi Antonelli Scout to Replace Helmut Marko
- F1•Jul 28, 2026, 6:09 PMFerrari Tests Mercedes’ Clever 2026 MGU-K Loophole, But the Risk is Disqualification
F1•Jul 28, 2026, 2:15 PM‘Even AI would have predicted McLaren's Hungary GP win’ - why Mercedes isn’t worried- F1•Jul 28, 2026, 11:41 AMF1 2026 mid-season grades: Mercedes riding high but where do calamitous Aston Martin rank?
- F1•Jul 28, 2026, 7:40 AMRed Bull appoint Mercedes talent chief Gwen Lagrue as Helmut Marko successor
- F1•Jul 27, 2026, 4:26 PM"Monumental" Red Bull Ford Powertrains project has exceeded expectations, says Calum Nicholas
