Toto Wolff labels George Russell penalty ‘total joke’ in US Grand Prix

The Mercedes driver was penalised for forcing Valtteri Bottas off the track at turn 12 in Austin

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Mercedes boss Toto Wolff labelled a five-second penalty given to George Russell as a “total joke” in the early stages of the US Grand Prix.

Russell, who started in the pit-lane, was making his way through the field when he went for an overtake on Sauber’s Valtteri Bottas.

Russell went down the inside of Bottas, with the Finn going off the track at turn 12, and the Brit moved on through.

However, the stewards did not see the move so smoothly and gave Russell a five-second penalty for forcing another driver off the racetrack.

Russell, when told of the penalty over team radio, simply replied: “What?”

Wolff, speaking to Russell, said: “Total joke with the penalty George, total joke.”

Russell’s teammate Lewis Hamilton spun off track on lap two and was forced to retire from the race with his Mercedes car beeched in the gravel.

Charles Leclerc won the race in a Ferrari one-two, while Max Verstappen finished third ahead of Lando Norris after a late penalty that Wolff was critical of post-race.