Wolff reveals Bottas came close to racing in Baku

Mercedes boss Toto Wolff revealed that George Russell's participation in the Azerbaijan Grand Prix was "touch and go" due to a severe 'flu. Reserve driver Valtteri Bottas was on standby, with Russell even doubting his own ability to race on Friday morning. Despite his illness, Russell remarkably battled through the weekend, delivering a flawless performance to secure an impressive second-place finish. Wolff praised Russell's resilience, calling his P2 "super merited." Rookie Andrea Kimi Antonelli also showed significant improvement, bouncing back from a challenging Monza to finish a strong fourth. Mercedes' strong weekend moved them to second in the Teams' Championship.