Why Toto Wolff's Drive to Survive mishap may be tempting George Russell to leave Mercedes, the truth about Lewis Hamilton's Ferrari start and full details of F1 film premiere

Toto Wolff needs to show George Russell some more love. It was a line Christian Horner deployed strategically in the new – absurdly fabricated – Netflix series. The sentiment is absolutely right.

I cannot think of any supposedly No 1 driver who has been shown less respect by his boss, who, by the way, never missed an opportunity to rhapsodise the undoubted brilliance of Lewis Hamilton.

The seven-time world champion's body of work is exceptional. It has been sustained and in his long salad days provided evidence of his status as one of motor racing's greatest-ever exponents. That much is obvious and undeniable.

But I have detected from the start of Russell's Mercedes career that Wolff has doubts over Russell, that have constrained any possibility that he could see him as a worthy enough heir to Hamilton.

Privately and publicly, the team's executives, presumably informed by Wolff's reservations, have havered over their praise. The latest, bald example followed the Chinese Grand Prix, the second time in succession that Russell drove faultlessly to a podium finish.

Wolff said: 'All these discussions are around Lewis because he is the biggest person in the sport leaving for Ferrari – great story. And Kimi (Antonelli, Mercedes' teenager rookie) coming in as the youngest driver, great potential.

'Little was said about George. I always said that is not right, as he is one of the top drivers out there. If you want me to name three at the absolute top, he is one of those three, if not top two. And maybe on his way to top one.'

Top three? Talk of damned with faint praise! Yes, even if Wolff's subsequent caveats alluding to Russell's potential rising through the ranks slightly offset that verdict.

Contrast this with Zak Brown, who contends, rightly or wrongly, that in Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri, McLaren run the best driver combination on the grid.

Brown has also, fairly, noted Max Verstappen's talent, for he is truly the outstanding performer of the last four years, and several good judges such as Bernie Ecclestone, whose memory stretches back further than anyone's, think of all time.

Ecclestone places Alain Prost and Verstappen in the same unchallenged bracket, even if stylistically the two are poles apart, so to speak.

But on the subject of Russell and his team boss's management of him, why is Wolff even using Hamilton as a yardstick? Or indeed any other kind of stick with which to beat Russell's confidence?

Hamilton has gone. Russell is the future, or is he?

Antonelli is clearly fast but entirely unproven. Certainly, Wolff would like to sign Verstappen, both for his ability and as the ultimate 'f-you' to his detested-by-him rival Horner.

Wolff spent a large chunk of last year wooing Verstappen. Russell was left on stand-by before being kept on as 'team leader', to use the voguish nomenclature.

The Englishman has a contract that runs out at the end of the year. A new one is promised. It may eventuate.

But what if Verstappen is up for moving over? Would Wolff then pair the Dutchman with Russell, or with Antonelli? The answer is up in the air, with the vast chunk of the season yet to inform that decision-making process.

Russell's body of work already, however, would take some overcoming by Antonelli. Russell's debut in a Mercedes, striding over from Williams to deputise for a Covid-stricken Hamilton in Bahrain in 2020, in a car too small and unfamiliar to him (no carping about the scale of the adjustment in contrast to Lewis's traditionally uncustomary pleas for patience having parachuted to Ferrari, we note) was exceptional.

But for ill-luck – a puncture and a curiously dodgy change of tyres – he would have won then. He set the fastest lap and deserved victory. I doubt that outcome was in Wolff's dream playlist.

For what it is worth, I rated it the best debut by a British driver I had witnessed live since Hamilton's bravura showing in Australia 13 seasons earlier.

In Netflix's Drive to Survive, which is packed with staged non-contemporaneous conversations, Wolff remarked how he had known Russell since he was 16. He said he understood him in all his 'flaws and talent'. Flaws came first in the assessment.

If I were George, I'd carry on driving beautifully (if I could!) but keep a beady eye on what opportunities at another team I might need next year. Just in case the fragile half-love evaporates further.

Sir Jackie takes the wheel

A rare chance in Bahrain next week, I can reveal, to see one of the greats behind the wheel. Sir Jackie Stewart, aged 85, will drive his 1973 title-winning Tyrrell Ford ahead of the grand prix.

The three-time world champion, who uniquely for a sportsman celebrated his 80th birthday with the late Queen as guest of honour at the Royal Automobile Club, is raising money for his Race Against Dementia charity.

A helmet signed by all living world champions will be auctioned in this good cause, launched due to the illness afflicting his beloved wife, Lady Helen.

The one British export that's tariff-free

Stefano Domenicali, recently confirmed in his post as F1 chief executive after internal turbulence at Liberty Media, the sport's owners, has been in Washington DC these past few days.

The well-travelled Italian met with Senators and Congressmen, and other big hitters, to promulgate F1 in its biggest-growing market (serious credit to Netflix here).

I am told Domenicali was greeted by big support as he explained the huge benefit of the sport's three races in the US in terms of spend, taxes and jobs.

A case of a big (essentially) British export without tariffs.

No 'yapping' about Lewis, just the facts

A lot of caterwauling about Lewis Hamilton's first two races at Ferrari. He and his most ardent fans have complained of inordinate 'yapping' over his start in red.

Not so, other than from his most unbending critics. Mostly, fair reports.

The truth is that he endured a poor opener in Australia, and a more disastrous conclusion in China, but offset there by a brilliant win there in the sprint from pole.

A more disastrous conclusion in China? How can you argue otherwise when both Ferraris were disqualified for different reasons (Charles Leclerc's steed underweight; Hamilton's too close to the ground). It was the first time both scarlet cars have befallen such ignominy.

And you know why? Clearly not because Ferrari were trying to cheat – it would be like trying to get away with murder while found holding the knife – but almost certainly because they were frantically cutting to the bone in search of the requisite performance.

There is a long season to go, but based on the only evidence we have from the first two races there is plenty of remedial work to be done.

Farewell to a man who gifted the world speed

Sympathy here for self-proclaimed Lewis Hamilton fan Usain Bolt. His father Wellesley, known as Gideon, has died aged 68.

My memory of Gideon is of him dispensing eggs and cuts of chicken and pork out of a window the size of a chessboard in the wall of his grocery shop in Trelawny on Jamaica's northern coast.

A call I shall never forget came a few hours after I interviewed Gideon. 'Hello,' I said. 'Who's that?'

'It's Usain,' came the response, as the supreme sprinter promised to meet me later that day. It was a fun week on Usain's trail for a feature in Mail Sport ahead of London 2012.

I wrote at the time that Gideon was tall and talkative, and that in this schoolboy 200m and 400m sprinter you could detect the gene pool at work. It was his gift to the world.

Revealed: F1 premiere date

The upcoming F1 movie, called, er, 'F1', which is playing to rave reviews in various early private showings, is due to be premiered in New York's Times Square in June, I can reveal.

Brad Pitt and all F1's glitterati will be in attendance. For further details, watch this space!