Wolff stands up for Hamilton: 'He and Russell are on the same pace'

After a positive race in Spain, the Monaco Grand Prix was frustrating for Lewis Hamilton. Team boss Toto Wolff defends the seven-time world champion.

Hamilton finished the race only eighth in Monaco, while teammate George Russell finished in the top five for the seventh time in a row. The seven-time world champion had a lot of trouble with the Alpine drivers during the race. Esteban Ocon received a time penalty for contact with Hamilton's Mercedes, while Fernando Alonso held up the Briton in the narrow streets of the circuit.

"He could have been right there and could have closed Lando [Norris, sixth] or even fight with George [fifth] and Lando at the front because that was his pace," the team boss tells Sky Sports.

Wolff believes Hamilton and Russell are on the same pace, but the 37-year-old driver has had a lot of bad luck with red flags and safety cars this season. "When you look at the bad spells Lewis had, stuck behind Fernando today, the contact with Esteban, the red flag in qualifying yesterday. I think the pendulum will swing and this unlucky situation will stop with Lewis as they are very much on the same pace."