Toto Wolff defends Mercedes strategy for George Russell in Spanish Grand Prix

Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff defended the decision to execute a two-stop strategy for George Russell during Sunday's Spanish Grand Prix in Madrid. Russell finished the race in fifth place after questioning the team's move to pit him twice while his teammate, Kimi Antonelli, secured victory on a one-stop strategy. During the race, Russell told his race engineer that he could have held off Lando Norris if he had stayed on the track. Wolff noted that the team feared the medium tyres would not last until the finish and sought to improve Russell’s position rather than waiting for a potential red flag. Post-race, Russell acknowledged that the hard tyre was the superior option, though he maintained that the track characteristics limited his ability to overtake regardless of the chosen strategy.