Mercedes team boss Toto Wolff has kept George Russell waiting all year for a new contract. Now, after Russell said “nothing’s going to happen over the summer” contract-wise following a typically resolute performance at the Hungarian GP, it looks like the roles have been reversed.

In that context it was interesting to note the phrasing of a “mid-season report” video Wolff recorded for registered fans of the Mercedes team. Against a background of a rousing video montage, juxtaposed with a curiously soporific Brian Eno-style ambient music soundtrack, Wolff came as close as he is ever likely to explicitly saying Russell was the faster of his two drivers last year.

This is noteworthy since it is a highly emotive topic for the fan community and therefore dangerous ground, even if the statis

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