Wolff denies 'emergency meeting' before rear axle change

George Russell laughed off a slip by teammate Kimi Antonelli in Hungary, after the 18-year-old revealed Mercedes had reverted to its older rear suspension — a move the team had not planned to make public.

"That had to be kept secret!" Russell joked, after Antonelli admitted the team had abandoned the rear axle introduced earlier in the season.

Reports in Germany had described the move as part of an "emergency" technical meeting following the team’s difficult run, but team boss Toto Wolff dismissed that claim.

"It's always such nonsense – all this talk of an 'emergency meeting'," Wolff told reporters. "We have a meeting every week to assess the current capabilities of the car and potential areas for improvement.

"One such meeting took place last week as scheduled, with the participation of the drivers. We have these meetings regularly, every few months. This was a big meeting and it was interesting."

Regardless of terminology, Wolff said the change has already made a clear difference.

"The problem with the new rear axle was that the rear end was completely unstable. It didn't inspire confidence in the drivers. Both drivers say the problem has disappeared. Much better."

Antonelli remains under scrutiny after an emotional weekend at Spa, where he was seen in tears. Sky F1’s Martin Brundle suggested he wouldn’t have lasted this long at Red Bull.

Red Bull advisor Dr Helmut Marko offered a more measured comparison. "Our juniors first drive for the Racing Bulls and aren't immediately exposed to the pressure of F1," Marko told Sport1.

"We also don't create hype around a young driver before they're in an F1 car."

Asked about Antonelli’s potential, Marko said: "Very fast, but still very young. In Spa, he told me he doesn't have confidence in the car, and as soon as he pushes, he no longer has control. It's more a mental thing."

Marko noted that both the Mercedes and Red Bull cars are unforgiving outside their setup window. "Kimi just needs to be given time to recover," he added. "But thankfully, Mercedes doesn't have the luxury of a second team."