Toto Wolff makes George Russell vow following Lewis Hamilton collision

Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff has vowed to 'put an arm around' George Russell and console the British driver after he was close to tears following his first-lap exit from the Belgian Grand Prix.

Russell was punted out of the race at the Les Combes chicane following a collision with former team-mate Lewis Hamilton. The Ferrari driver was later hit with a five-second time penalty he served at his only pit stop for causing a collision.

Aside from that, Russell had been left bereft throughout the weekend by his apparent lack of power, certainly compared to team-mate Kimi Antonelli, who secured victory from pole to extend his lead at the top of the championship standings.

In his post-race interview with Sky Sports F1, Russell was clearly distraught as he talked through both situations, which have harmed his title chances in the fight with Italian teenager Antonelli.

Addressing Antonelli's win first, speaking to Sky Sports F1, Wolff said: "I'm happy for Kimi.

"He deserves the win because at Silverstone [in the British GP] he had a DNF with the car, and today, all weekend, he was very strong. [He] Never dropped the ball, even when the VSC went against him, and he lost the lead.

"But he just eked it out, tenth by tenth, and he merits the victory."

The VSC pitched Antonelli behind Ferrari's Charles Leclerc after the Scuderia took advantage of the situation, but he managed to reel in the Monégasque to clinch his sixth win of the campaign.

Turning his attention to Russell, and how he was feeling after his early exit, Wolff added: "I haven't seen him yet, but it's completely understandable that the moment you're out of this race, it's so frustrating, and the emotions spoil.

"But he has our 100 per cent support. We are trying to solve all the issues. He's doing everything he can to get on top his driving. So, yeah, I haven't spoken to him, but I'm gonna try to put my arm around him."

Wolff explained, though, that Russell was not the only Mercedes-powered driver to encounter problems.

"It's two situations, first, it's the racing, and that happened," said Wolff, in relation to the incident with Hamilton. "Unfortunately for us, we lost a lot of constructor points and George driver points.

"And then we had an issue with all Mercedes engines, that we lacked power down the straight. That hit him badly. It 100 per cent goes on us.

"But we are trying our best as a team. We have the most powerful power unit, and we have a strong car that is capable of winning. Everybody gives their maximum to minimise the mistakes, but still, it happens because we are humans at work.

"We let Kimi down in Silverstone when George got a podium, which is maybe better than the result could have been, and then one DNF in Montreal, the other in Barcelona.

"It's a little bit the story of our season. It's a technical, mechanical sport."