Former W Sequence driver and Sky Sports activities analyst Naomi Schiff has argued that Mercedes crew chief Toto Wolff isn’t somebody who drivers George Russell and Kimi Antonelli would wish to cross in crew orders discussions.
Russell was a transparent favorite heading into the 2026 season. However after profitable the season-opening Australian Grand Prix and the Chinese language dash race, his 19-year-old team-mate Antonelli turned a risk to his championship push.
The Italian driver now leads the standings by 20 factors over Russell after profitable the Chinese language, Japanese and Miami Grands Prix. His considerably shocking increase in efficiency has now begged the query of crew orders throughout the Brackley outfit.
Whereas discussing how Mercedes may cope with the intra-team dynamic, Schiff defined on the Up To Pace podcast: “To begin with, Toto could have realized numerous classes from the Hamilton-Rosberg period, the one which all of us noticed come crashing down again in 2016.
“However I believe he additionally put out a message saying that these drivers must keep in mind that they don’t seem to be larger than the crew. And if anybody begins to suppose it is about them, he’ll appropriate that in a short time. Now, I do not learn about you guys, however as pretty and as charming as Toto comes throughout, he would not actually give me the sensation that he is somebody that you simply wish to cross.
Andrea Kimi Antonelli, Mercedes, Toto Wolff, Mercedes
Picture by: Sam Bagnall / Sutton Pictures through Getty Pictures
“So, I believe that he’ll be very, very clear along with his drivers. And relating to Antonelli, he is clearly, as we have been saying, the youngest teenager to ever lead the Components 1 world championship, which additionally means he has a protracted profession forward of him.
“He is aware of he is bought to maintain Toto on aspect. I believe it is most likely a bit trickier for George as a result of there’s this potential strain round his seat. So does he play the sport? As a result of he is aware of that that offers him extra of an opportunity to keep up it ought to Max Verstappen turn out to be out there. Or does that little egocentric driver attribute come out and say, ‘Properly, that is my one and solely likelihood to win the world championship doubtlessly so do I simply go for it?'”
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