Wolff admits to bigger problems for Mercedes than Russell’s DNF at Monza

15:29, 05 Sep

Updated: 16:42, 05 Sep

byOlly Darcy

Toto Wolff admits there may be more than just George Russell's DNF from the first free practice session to contend with at the Italian Grand Prix for Mercedes at Monza.

The German team come into the 16th race weekend of the season after a mixed performance at the Dutch Grand Prix, seeing Russell nurse a damaged Mercedes home to take P4, while multiple penalties for teammate Kimi Antonelli saw him drop to P15, despite crossing the line in sixth.

In Zandvoort, Wolff announced that Russell and Antonelli would continue at Mercedes for the 2026 season after many months of speculation surrounding Max Verstappen and the potential seismic move away from Mercedes. However, there has still yet to be a contract extension given to Russell, whose contract runs out at the end of this year.

A hydraulics issue for George Russell saw his FP1 session at the Italian Grand Prix end early.

Russell unable to make it to the end of FP1

The Brit didn't see the start of his race weekend get off to the greatest of starts in Monza, with an issue for his W16 forcing him to pull over and bring out the VSC, confining him to a P7 finish, while teammate Antoinelli could only come two places higher up in P5.

"It was a hydraulics issue for George, and the engine shutdown to protect everything," Wolff explained while speaking to Sky Sports after the end of the first practice session that saw Ferrari take a one-two in front of their adoring Tifosi.

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However, for Wolff and Mercedes, other concerns have arisen after the first free practice session that could be quite significant for the rest of the weekend.

"We are lacking a bit of straight line speed, that's what I've just seen on the overlays," continued the Austrian, a concern that the German team will want to conceal before a vital qualifying session takes place tomorrow.