Mercedes coach Toto Wolff has said the team will discuss how Kimi Antonelli and George Russell will race each other in the future due to Lewis Hamilton’s potential championship threat.
The Mercedes drivers battled mid-race for the lead in the Barcelona-Catalunya Grand Prix, but lost time to eventual race winner Hamilton, who was charging fresh tires after his second pit stop.
Hamilton went on to inflict Mercedes’ first race-day defeat of the season, and with Antonelli’s late retirement after running second, the Ferrari driver cut the Italian’s title lead to 41 points and increased his buffer over Russell to nine points.
Wolff said during the drivers’ during-race scrap in Barcelona: “We didn’t stop them from fighting because that’s the way we’ve always raced.
“But it is a situation where we will have to look into the future with both drivers, how we will handle a situation where there is a speed difference if we are fighting for the win or (we are) at risk of losing the win.
“And that will be an interesting discussion, but always be fully transparent in the best interest of the team.”
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Toto Wolff has warned Mercedes must address reliability issues if it is to fight for the championship following Kimi Antonelli’s DNF in Barcelona and George Russell’s retirement in Canada.
This isn’t the first time this season that Russell and Antonelli have dueled for the race lead.
Their most dramatic battle to date occurred in Canada last month, when they locked wheels and almost crashed in the sprint and grand prix.
Ahead of the next race in Monaco, Antonelli said he was happy the team would be able to race “freely with each other as long as there is respect” without overly prescribed rules.
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Watch all the steamy moments between Kimi Antonelli and George Russell during the Canadian Grand Prix weekend.
Wolff said a readjustment may be needed if the team’s overall chances are at risk due to the increased threat from Ferrari and Hamilton.
“There are now third parties involved in the championship race: the constructors and the drivers,” the Mercedes team principal added.
“And on that note, we will be discussing internally with both drivers how they want to handle a situation where there is a risk of them catching each other.”
“I don’t think it’ll be a problem. I think it’ll probably need to be readjusted.”
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Highlights of the 2026 Barcelona-Catalunya Grand Prix.
‘If I smell blood, I’m going’ – Wolff is wary of Hamilton aiming for title
While leaders Mercedes remain favorites to win both world championships, Hamilton’s season has gained impressive momentum in recent weeks with back-to-back second-place finishes for Ferrari in Spain to claim the seven-time world champion’s first grand prix win.
So the specter of Hamilton challenging for a record eighth world title has loomed large, and Wolff, who was team boss at Mercedes for six of the Briton’s championship wins, is wary of how his former driver can gain such momentum.
Wolff said, “I don’t want to fight him for the title because I know what he can do.”
“If I smell blood, I just go.
“I’ve seen for years how Lewis Hamilton trains suddenly start to go and are very difficult to stop.”
‘We’ll really see what Russell and Antonelli are up to – Villeneuve’s title fight
Sky Sports F1’s Jacques Villeneuve, 1997 world champion, said on The F1 Show podcast:
“We thought it was going to be a title battle within the teams. Ferrari were there but they were behind and didn’t get close enough to give Mercedes a hard time, maybe a few laps into the race but they fell back.
“But now Ferrari will mainly fight alongside Lewis, but Leclerc will also join the fight and they will give Mercedes a tough time.
Kimi Antonelli, Lewis Hamilton and George Russell scored 50 points in the Drivers’ Championship.
“That will put pressure on Mercedes, it will put pressure on their drivers and we will really see what kind of players Russell and Antonelli are when they are not team-mates.
“You don’t have data, you don’t know what’s going on in other teams, and that creates a different kind of stress.
“Your teammates can tell you how hard you can fight and how hard you can’t and what set-up they have.”
Sky Sports F1 Austrian GP Schedule
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Take a look back at some of the most dramatic moments from the Austrian Grand Prix over the years.
Thursday, June 25th
2 p.m.: Driver press conference
5pm: Paddock Uncut
Friday, June 26
8:50 AM: F3 practice
10am: F2 practice
12:00 PM: Austrian GP Practice 1 (session starts at 12:30 PM)
1:55 PM: F3 qualifying
2:30 PM: Team leader press conference
2.50pm: F2 qualifying
3.35pm: Austrian GP practice 2 (session starts at 4pm)
5:15 PM: F1 Show
Saturday, June 27th
9 AM: F3 Sprint
11:15 AM: Austrian GP Practice 3 (session starts at 11:30 AM)
1:10 PM: F2 Sprint
2.15pm: Austrian GP qualifying build-up*
3pm: Austrian GP Qualifying*
5 p.m.: Ted’s Qualifying Notes
Sunday, June 28
7:35 AM: F3 Feature Race
9.05am: F2 Feature Race
10:50 a.m.: Porsche Supercup
12.30pm: Building up to the Austrian GP: Sunday Grand Prix*
2 p.m.: Austrian Grand Prix*
4pm: Austrian GP reaction: checkered flag
5 p.m.: Ted’s Notes
*Applies to Sky Sports main event as well
Formula 1’s European season continues this weekend with the Austrian Grand Prix, broadcast live on Sky Sports F1. Stream Sky Sports NOW – No Commitment, Cancel Anytime
