Wolff slams FIA over Mercedes PENALTY as Hamilton and Russell suffered...

Wolff slams FIA over Mercedes PENALTY as Hamilton and Russell suffered…read more

Mercedes team boss Toto Wolff has voiced strong criticism over a decision made by the FIA during the United States Grand Prix, which he described as a “total joke.” The race, held at the Circuit of the Americas (COTA) in Austin, Texas, turned out to be a frustrating weekend for the Mercedes team, with both Lewis Hamilton and George Russell facing challenges that dashed their hopes of a strong finish.

Mercedes had high expectations heading into Austin, especially with Lewis Hamilton holding the record for the most wins at COTA, having claimed victory five times. However, this year’s race quickly went off-script for the Silver Arrows. During qualifying, Hamilton suffered an early exit, relegating him to the back of the grid for the start of the race. Meanwhile, his teammate George Russell crashed out of the same qualifying session but was initially set to start from sixth place on the grid.

In a late call by the FIA, however, Russell was forced to start from the pitlane, promoting Hamilton to a P17 starting position. Despite the setback, Hamilton made a strong start, quickly moving up to P12. However, his progress was short-lived as he lost control of his Mercedes W15 and slid off the track at Turn 18, ending his race prematurely. In an unfortunate coincidence, Hamilton crashed in the same spot where Russell had struggled earlier, adding to the team’s woes.

With Hamilton out of the race, the focus shifted to Russell, who remained Mercedes’ only hope for a result. However, his troubles were far from over. During the race, Russell was involved in an incident with Alfa Romeo’s Valtteri Bottas. The FIA deemed that Russell had forced Bottas off the track and issued a five-second penalty for the incident. The decision sparked immediate backlash from both Russell and Wolff.

Over team radio, Russell was clearly shocked by the ruling, expressing confusion about why his move was penalized. Wolff then intervened, voicing his own frustration directly to Russell over the radio, stating: “Total joke with the penalty, George, total joke.” The incident marked another chapter in what has been a season filled with controversial FIA decisions, with Wolff and the Mercedes team left feeling aggrieved by the outcome.

Sky Sports F1 pundit Martin Brundle weighed in on the controversy, appearing to side with Wolff’s assessment of the situation. Brundle noted that the current rules could potentially be exploited by rivals to force penalties, saying: “So you can basically almost ensure your rival gets a penalty with those rules.” His comments highlighted the ongoing debate over the FIA’s decision-making and its impact on the competitive nature of the sport.

For Mercedes, the United States Grand Prix was a race weekend to forget. With both drivers facing difficulties, including Hamilton’s early exit and Russell’s controversial penalty, the team’s hopes of delivering a strong performance at COTA were dashed. As the Formula 1 season continues, Mercedes will be eager to put the disappointment of Austin behind them and focus on the races ahead, while the controversy surrounding the FIA’s rulings continues to simmer within the paddock.