**Mercedes Faces Cost Cap Crisis After Russell's Latest Crash**

Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff has expressed serious concerns about the team's finances following George Russell's second major crash in a week, this time during the second practice session (FP2) for the Mexico City Grand Prix.

George Russell's W15 suffered substantial damage early in FP2 at the Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez, the latest in a string of costly incidents. Just last week, Russell was involved in a severe crash that ended his qualifying session at the Circuit of the Americas in Austin.

Following the session, Toto Wolff explained to Sky Sports Germany the extent of the damage to the car. "I think we can keep the old chassis, but everything else has to go out," Wolff stated. "The engine has to come out, the gearbox has to be checked and then everything else. Two corners of the car are completely gone. So it's serious damage."

The repeated need for significant repairs is placing Mercedes under financial strain, especially amid the stringent F1 cost cap regulations. Wolff highlighted the cumulative impact of recent accidents involving not just Russell, but also Kimi Antonelli, who had a severe crash at Monza.

"We're in serious trouble," Wolff admitted. "We are all struggling to stay within the budget cap, and of course, we had a bad accident with Kimi at Monza. Then the second one with George last week in Austin and now again this week."

As the season progresses, the need to stay within budget constraints while maintaining competitive performance is becoming increasingly challenging for Mercedes. The next steps will involve a thorough assessment of the car's condition to strategize a path forward without breaching financial limits.