SPIELBERG, Austria, June 28 (Reuters) - George Russell returned to the top of the Formula One podium in Austria on Sunday with what Mercedes team boss Toto Wolff called a "cold-blooded" performance after a tough couple of months for the Briton.
Russell questioned that choice of words, preferring to see his seventh career win as "calm and controlled" while recognising he was relieved to win again for the first time since the season-opener in Australia in March.
After Melbourne, Russell's 19-year-old Italian teammate Kimi Antonelli went on a run of five wins in a row and remains 40 points clear at the top of the standings after eight of a likely 22 rounds.
"It’s been a tough couple of months with some really tricky races, with races that felt like everything was going against me, then some races with some tough performances," said Russell, who started the year as title favourite, of a race that saw Antonelli finish third.
"Obviously, I’ve got a really incredible team-mate next to me who week in, week out, is delivering some pretty spectacular performances. So, for me, going into Canada, going into Barcelona from quite a low point, I needed a lot of resilience to be able to get back and deliver some strong performances.
"To get the last two poles, to get the win here this weekend, especially on a track which I don’t think is so suited to me, I’m really, really proud."
TYRE CHALLENGE
Russell said he had never doubted his ability but getting the tyres working properly, and getting on top of the overall package, had been a challenge.
Wolff said Russell had done everything right, with perfect execution from third practice on Saturday after Antonelli had dominated the first two sessions on Friday.
"He was quick, managed the tyres well, cold-blooded," added the Austrian. "Really happy for him.
"He knows that he can drive fast and sometimes you just have to put one and one together. Maybe ease off on yourself a little bit. Just drive...the thinking part, leave it to the people in the garage."
Wolff said the same principle applied when it came to holding off Red Bull's runner-up Max Verstappen in the race:
"Not thinking too much about strategy, not thinking too much what's the gap behind. Just go and extract the maximum out of the car. That's what he did."
(Reporting by Alan Baldwin, editing by Ed Osmond)
