Russell pitched Wolff on Nordschleife F1 record run

George Russell has revealed he once approached Toto Wolff about taking a Mercedes Formula 1 car to the Nürburgring Nordschleife to chase the circuit’s outright lap record.

Speaking to PlanetF1.com and other media, Russell said the idea had gone beyond admiration for the track and into internal discussion at Mercedes. “I did once try having a conversation with Toto about putting the F1 car around there and breaking the all-time lap record,” he said.

That record remains the 5:19.546 set by Timo Bernhard in a Porsche 919 Hybrid Evo in 2018, and Russell made clear the challenge appeals to him because the Nordschleife is not some distant curiosity. The Mercedes driver said he has driven the track before and has “driven hundreds of laps on the sim around the Nordschleife,” adding: “The Nordschleife is something that one day I’d love to do, without doubt.”

Russell said Max Verstappen’s recent appearances there have only sharpened that interest. Speaking to media including RacingNews365, he said: “I did watch Max’s race at the Nordschleife, and I did also watch the wet race in Imola, both of which were very cool.”

But the idea of an F1 record attempt appears to have stalled at Mercedes. When asked by PlanetF1.com whether Wolff had effectively said no, Russell laughed and pointed to the practical obstacle as much as the philosophy behind it. “We need to find a way to raise the right height. Maybe one day!” he said.

For now, Russell said his focus remains on Formula 1 rather than any Nordschleife project. “Right now, I’m focused on trying to win an F1 world championship,” he said. He sits second in the standings, 20 points behind team-mate Kimi Antonelli, and framed any future Nordschleife outing as something that may have to wait until he has much more on his CV. “Hopefully when I got four under my belt, I’ll go and race the Nordschleife during my F1 season too.”