Wolff: It would be 'unfair' to remove Russell from Mercedes.

      Toto Wolff has nearly confirmed that George Russell will stay at Mercedes for 2027, seemingly putting an end to the months of speculation connecting Max Verstappen with the Brackley team. Russell, who secured pole position for the Austrian GP, had previously stated at the Red Bull Ring: "There will be no announcement, but I will be racing here next year, 100 percent." Wolff has now effectively affirmed this.

      "Our plan is to keep the driver lineup as is," he told Austria’s APA news agency. "Stability is crucial for us at this moment. Kimi has regained his form, the driver pairing is effective, and their teamwork is strong. It would be unwise to change that now."

      This situation shifts the focus of Verstappen's future more towards ongoing links with McLaren than with Mercedes. Russell’s pole lap also sparked conversation after his radio message, "Stai calmo, stai calmo," led to speculation that it was directed at teammate and championship leader Kimi Antonelli. Antonelli aborted his final qualifying lap, mistakenly believing Verstappen's crash had led to double yellow flags, while Russell correctly discerned that only single yellows were displayed and adjusted his pace just enough to improve his lap time.

      "It's absolutely not like that," Russell clarified to Sky Italia when asked if his radio message was aimed at Antonelli. "Oh my God, no, I was just joking. I want to make it clear that there was nothing behind it - it was completely unintentional." Wolff instead commended Russell’s judgment. "My congratulations to George for how he managed the situation," he said. "I’m proud of him. I believe Kimi thought it was double yellow flags."

      The incident also caught Ferrari's attention, with some suggesting the team might question the FIA’s management of the yellow flags. "One could discuss this extensively and question why a double yellow flag isn't displayed when a crash is severe enough to necessitate deploying the medical car," team principal Frederic Vasseur stated. "However, we lack data from the mini-sectors, so we can't verify if he reduced his speed by 5 percent. We must trust the race director’s call, and we do."

      Vasseur was also pleased to see Charles Leclerc outqualify teammate Lewis Hamilton following recent scrutiny of the Monegasque. "The journalists were more concerned about it, but I had no worries at all," he said. "His speed has always been there. He felt a bit of pressure, which is natural after mistakes, and it's great for him to bounce back with a strong lap. But he has always had the pace."

      Leclerc dismissed the notion that his recent performance had become problematic. "There are always voices and rumors circulating," he told RTBF. "The criticism often comes from the same individuals. It's part of the job, that's just how it is. I’m very fortunate to be an F1 driver and a Ferrari driver. So that comes with more criticism, and it’s normal to receive it when things aren’t going well."