Wolff wants Russell's 'numb' feeling to fade after Belgian GP blow

Dejected after the race, the British driver admitted he has become almost numb to the disappointment, explaining that repeated setbacks have left him increasingly accustomed to dealing with such frustration.

Speaking to GPblog among other media after the race, Wolff said he understood Russell's emotional reaction following another disappointing retirement, stressing that such setbacks naturally take their toll on a driver. At the same time, he emphasised the privilege of racing for Mercedes, while acknowledging that the responsibility for the team's recent disappointments is shared between the drivers and the team itself.

Wolff also pointed to the valuable Constructors' Championship points lost in the battle with Ferrari, expressing hope that Russell's sense of numbness will soon disappear as Mercedes works to restore his optimism and confidence: "It's valuable constructor points that we lose in our fight against Ferrari. So I hope the numb feeling goes away. We will try to help to recreate optimism and positivity."

Speaking during the same media session, Wolff revealed that all Mercedes-powered cars suffered from a power unit issue that left them lacking straight-line performance throughout the Belgian Grand Prix. Discussing Russell's opening-lap retirement, the Mercedes team principal explained that the problem significantly compromised the British driver before his race came to an early end, while also acknowledging that the team lost valuable points in both the Drivers' and Constructors' Championships.

Looking back at the season as a whole, Wolff admitted reliability has been one of Mercedes' biggest weaknesses, pointing to a series of technical issues and retirements that have proved costly despite having a car capable of fighting at the front. He noted that the team has alternated between strong results and frustrating setbacks, describing that inconsistency as a recurring theme of its 2026 campaign.

Despite those reliability concerns, Wolff remained convinced that Mercedes' power unit is the strongest on the grid. He stressed that solving reliability issues is a far easier challenge than trying to make an underperforming engine competitive, adding that the team is working flat out to eliminate the problems after losing a significant number of championship points because of them. In his view, Mercedes would be much further ahead in both championships had those reliability setbacks not occurred.