Martin Brundle surprised by Toto Wolff’s instant reaction to George Russell’s Singapore Grand Prix pole

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George Russell delivered a fabulous pole position at the Singapore Grand Prix on Sunday. Martin Brundle found the reaction of team principal Toto Wolff intriguing.

Russell wasn’t seen as a contender coming into the weekend, but he delivered two laps good enough for pole position in Q3. In one of the most impressive qualifying performances of the year, he finished almost two-tenths clear of Max Verstappen.

It was only Mercedes’ second Grand Prix pole of the year, following on from Russell’s effort at the Canadian GP in June. It’s also just their eighth pole of the ground-effect era.

The result comes amid negotiations over a new contract for 2026. With only seven races remaining, one of the grid’s highest-rated drivers still doesn’t have a confirmed seat.

Toto Wolff wasn’t ‘as excited’ as expected after George Russell’s Singapore Grand Prix pole

After Russell sealed pole, the world-feed cameras cut to Wolff looking rather unmoved in the Mercedes garage. Teammate Kimi Antonelli qualified on the second row, making it one of their best qualifying sessions collectively.

Sky Sports’ David Croft suggested that Russell could increase his salary demands in light of that performance.

“You’d have thought Toto Wolff would be smiling a bit more!” he said.

“”He wasn’t as excited as I thought he would look,” co-commentator Brundle replied.

Croft added: “He hasn’t signed up for next season yet and maybe he’s thinking, ‘Damn, that might make the contract negotiations a little bit more tricky!’

Russell reportedly wants an elite-level wage from Mercedes, equivalent to drivers like Lando Norris.

Ultimately, Wolff may just have been wary of celebrating too quickly. Indeed, Mercedes have only converted two of their seven poles since the start of 2022.

Russell was also measured over the radio, simply saying: “Nice job.”

Toto Wolff’s big hint about George Russell’s new Mercedes contract

Jenson Button believes Russell has been as good as any driver – including Verstappen – in 2025. Saturday’s session strengthens that argument.

A new deal has looked like an inevitability since Verstappen ruled out a move to Mercedes in the summer. Both parties feel they can afford to hold out.

Speaking earlier on Saturday, Wolff said an agreement with Russell was ‘super near’. He hinted that an announcement could be made within days.

Antonelli is also in line for a new deal. If Mercedes are as good as paddock insiders are predicting next year, both drivers could have championship-worthy machinery for the first time.