Toto Wolff insists George Russell’s loss of form is a ‘myth’
Toto Wolff insists any view of George Russell dramatically losing form in 2023 is a “myth” as the Mercedes boss defended his driver. Russell, in his first season with Mercedes, finished above team-mate Lewis Hamilton in 2022 by 35 points – and also won the first F1 race of his career in Brazil – but has seen the roles reverse this year. The 25-year-old is currently seventh in the world championship standings, 57 points behind Hamilton, and retired late on in Sunday’s Dutch Grand Prix due to a puncture caused by a tangle with Lando Norris. Yet Wolff believes talk of Russell’s under-performance in the first 13 races of this season have been exaggerated. “I’ve never bought into this thought,” Wolff said, after Sunday’s race. “When you and I are having a bad day, nobody knows, but if a driver has a bad day and he’s probably a tenth off, that makes all the difference in qualifying. “So all drivers have days that are not so good and we’ve seen these ups and downs with George but the quality of the driver I’ve never doubted a minute. “He was able to shine [in qualifying], put the car on P3, had a problem-free qualifying and no traffic so I haven’t seen any pattern change. “I’m trying to really bang it into his head that he hasn’t lost his form, that it is just the myth that he’s making up. “You don’t unlearn to driver and you don’t lose your form. You can have ups and downs like all of us have but every single weekend when things have gone against him, it was pretty clear why that was and it wasn’t the driving.” Russell has a chance to get back to points-scoring finishes this weekend at the Italian Grand Prix in Monza. Read More Lewis Hamilton says ‘totally wrong’ weather forecast cost Mercedes a podium spot Max Verstappen survives dramatic rain chaos to claim record-equalling victory at Dutch GP Christian Horner hails ‘untouchable’ Max Verstappen as best driver in the world Christian Horner hails ‘untouchable’ Max Verstappen as best driver in the world Lewis Hamilton says ‘totally wrong’ weather forecast cost Mercedes a podium spot Max Verstappen survives dramatic rain chaos to triumph at Dutch Grand Prix
2023-08-29 19:53
Paris Fashion Week calendar confirmed – with a major surprise and notable absentees
Ahead of the launch of the event on 25 September, the Paris Fashion Week calendar has been announced.
2023-08-29 19:20
AMLO’s Insular Politics Predicted a Global Shift, But Will It Protect His Legacy?
On a Saturday afternoon in early July, Mexico City’s vast Zócalo square was packed wall-to-wall with supporters gathered
2023-08-29 18:22
ExpressVPN review: A stylish, minimalist VPN service with solid privacy practices — and a steep price
UPDATE: Aug. 29, 2023, 5:00 a.m. EDT We've revisited this review as part of an
2023-08-29 17:49
Brazil seeks next generation of MMA champions
Self-described "nerd" Caio Borralho quit his chemical engineering studies to become a professional mixed martial arts (MMA) fighter, part of a new generation looking to reinvigorate the sport...
2023-08-29 09:20
Ugandan charged under anti-gay law faces possible death penalty
Ugandan prosecutors have charged a man with "aggravated homosexuality", potentially a capital offence under controversial anti-gay legislation introduced by the country this...
2023-08-29 02:54
'Rustin' biopic trailer spotlights the 'forgotten' civil rights leader
Everyone knows the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and the speech he gave 60
2023-08-28 21:47
Archaeologists find 3,000-year-old priest's tomb in Peru
Archaeologists in northern Peru have unearthed a 3,000-year-old tomb which they believe might have honored an elite religious leader in the Andean country some three millennia ago.
2023-08-28 20:53
'Starstruck' Season 3 review: Rose Matafeo takes her rom-com for a victory lap
Should you ever get back together with an ex? It's a complicated question when you've
2023-08-28 17:56
Max Verstappen’s achievements are still underestimated – Fernando Alonso
Fernando Alonso believes Max Verstappen’s record-equalling Formula One reign has been underestimated. Verstappen matched Sebastian Vettel’s all-time streak of nine consecutive wins with a brilliant display in Sunday’s wet-dry-wet Dutch Grand Prix. The Red Bull driver is 138 points clear at the summit of the world championship and could close out his third title as early as next month. Earlier this season, Lewis Hamilton described Verstappen’s Red Bull machine as the fastest car he has ever seen. But during Verstappen’s run of nine in a row, team-mate Sergio Perez – the only other driver to win a race in 2023 – has finished off the podium five times. And double world champion Alonso, runner-up to Verstappen in Zandvoort, said: “It is underestimated what Max is achieving. To win in such a dominant way in any professional sport is so complicated. “Today I felt connected with the car and that I was able to give 100 per cent of my abilities but perhaps at other races in Belgium or Austria, for example, I wasn’t able to do that. “But Max is achieving 100 per cent more often than the rest of us at the moment, and that is why he is dominating.” Since he claimed his maiden title at the controversial season-ending Abu Dhabi race in 2021, Verstappen has won 26 of the 35 races staged. In his last 24 appearances, Verstappen has failed to win just four times. He has triumphed at 11 of the 13 rounds so far this year. On Sunday night, Red Bull team principal Christian Horner lauded his star driver as “simply untouchable”. Hamilton’s Mercedes team secured eight consecutive constructors’ championships before Red Bull returned to the top. Hamilton won six titles in seven seasons, but he was never able to win more than five races in a row. Michael Schumacher managed seven straight victories for Ferrari during his stranglehold of the sport at the turn of the century. And Verstappen, 25, said: “There have been more dominant cars in the past than we have at the moment, and they haven’t been able to win nine in a row. “It is hard and, especially in the rain, it’s easy to make a wrong call or spin into the gravel. So, it’s never that straightforward.” Verstappen will bid to secure his 10th consecutive win at this weekend’s Italian Grand Prix in Monza. Read More Charity boss speaks out over ‘traumatic’ encounter with royal aide Ukraine war’s heaviest fight rages in east - follow live How Max Verstappen equalled Sebastien Vettel’s record for consecutive race wins Max Verstappen reveals Sebastian Vettel prediction as he closes on GP record run Max Verstappen is one of the best drivers in F1 history – Lando Norris
2023-08-28 17:51
Modi Weighs Continuing Free Grains Program Into Polls
Coming soon: Sign up for the India Edition newsletter by Menaka Doshi – an insider's guide to the
2023-08-28 17:46
Where are Rex Heuermann's cats? Family of Gilgo Beach murders suspect claims cops put pets in kill shelter
Rex Heuermann is currently held at the Suffolk County Sheriff's Office Riverhead facility after being charged with the deaths of three prostitutes
2023-08-28 14:49