Hadjar Blasts Russell for Destroying His Mexican GP

Toto Wolff has admitted Mercedes let George Russell down before his opening-lap collision with Isack Hadjar at the Mexican Grand Prix.

An energy deployment failure on the first straight dropped Russell from second to sixth before he ever reached Turn 1.

Russell had started from the front row alongside Lewis Hamilton at the Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez.

His initial getaway was good enough to hold position and take the polesitter's slipstream.

But his Silver Arrow encountered an energy deployment issue before the first braking zone.

By the time he got to Turn 1, Russell was down to sixth place.

A few corners later, he was attacking Isack Hadjar at Turn 6.

Russell attempted a move down the inside but failed to back out and tapped the Red Bull into a spin.

The FIA stewards hit Russell with a 10-second penalty for causing the collision.

Hadjar, who had started seventh, had made up ground in the first few corners and felt he had a shot at the podium.

"I honestly did not expect George to stick a wheel up Turn 6 because the corner was completely mine," Hadjar told media after the race.

"I was aware of him and I shouldn't have trusted him in the end, but it happens."

"Clearly, it's a shame. This completely ruined my race."

Hadjar confirmed the Red Bull sustained minor damage in the collision.

"Little on the front. Little damages," he said.

"We had to repair something during the pit stop, which took a couple of seconds. But nothing dramatic."

"I think the pace on the medium in the first stint anytime out of Turn 3 I was good."

"When we pitted for the softs, I only did two laps but I felt super, super quick."

"During that Lap 1, I was like, 'Okay, I have a shot for the podium.' And then it was finished."

Hadjar crossed the line ninth and pointed the finger at himself for his qualifying position.

"Honestly, it's my fault that happened today, the Lap 1 incident, because had I done a better job yesterday, I wouldn't be starting seventh," he said.

"Maybe we are fighting for better than a podium, and we don't meet George on the way."

"These things happen. It's better to maximise your chances at the front. Should have done a better job."

But the deeper story emerged from the Mercedes garage after the race.

Toto Wolff spoke about watching Russell on the FIA scales after the checkered flag.

"I saw George after the race on the FIA scales, and obviously he's distraught about the situation," Wolff said.

"It was a great show of sportsmanship to go and see Kimi."

"I have known George for such a long time and I know for a racing driver this is a catastrophic moment."

"Maybe today the race was a little bit a picture of his season."

"This was a race for him to win."

"We had the pace in the car and we let him down on the first straight."

"The energy delivery is not what we have thought it should be."

"I'm very much with him, at the moment."

"I've been in situations where he's very difficult to cope."

"Him not doing the media work or leaving the track is absolutely understandable."

"Him staying would have actually surprised me. That's absolutely honoured."

This was not the first time a lack of energy deployment caused trouble for Russell in 2026.

The same issue occurred at Spa-Francorchamps down the Kemmel Straight, leading to a collision with Hamilton.

Russell retired on that occasion.

He was also struck by power unit failures that caused retirements from the lead in Canada and third in Malaysia.