Lewis Hamilton’s first Method 1 victory for Ferrari, even earlier than the Briton had crossed the end line on the Barcelona Grand Prix, shortly captivated spectators and observers, briefly pushing Mercedes’ inside battle and Kimi Antonelli’s retirement into the background.
However these two race incidents, vital within the story of the 2026 season, had been very a lot on the thoughts of Toto Wolff, the principal on the German workforce. The race noticed Mercedes expertise its first setback of the season on Sunday, together with its championship chief scoring no factors for the primary time his yr.
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Earlier than analysing his personal workforce, Wolff needed to congratulate his rivals. Hamilton’s success had been constructed, partially, on an aggressive three-stop technique from Ferrari, earlier than a well-timed digital security automotive additional strengthened his benefit over Mercedes.
“Initially, I am completely happy for Lewis,” Wolff advised Canal+ in French. “He is needed to win in a Ferrari for a very long time, he labored exhausting, and I am very completely happy for Fred [Vasseur]. Fred is a pal; generally we get irritated with one another, however at this time he deserves it.
“It was so tough, with a lot strain in Italy at Ferrari, and for him to take the victory at this time, truthful and sq. – Lewis had wonderful tempo, he deserves to win – and for that, we should first congratulate them.”
Lewis Hamilton, Ferrari, Toto Wolff, Mercedes
Picture by: Anni Graf – Method 1 by way of Getty Pictures
However then got here the time to look at Mercedes’ race. Earlier than Antonelli’s retirement, which got here simply after he had overtaken George Russell within the closing laps, the race had already been marked by additional episodes of team-mate infighting. The buildup of misplaced time and reliability points, solely weeks after Russell retired whereas main in Canada, led Wolff to a harsh conclusion.
“It was a ineffective race for us,” he continued. “Initially, we will not maintain having retirements on a regular basis. You do not win championships in case your vehicles maintain stopping. And secondly, whereas we have at all times tried to be truthful between the 2 drivers, now there is a third driver, with Lewis preventing for the world championship. We have to listen.”
Hamilton’s victory, after he had already inherited second place in Monaco following Russell’s troubles, mixed with Antonelli’s failure to attain, diminished the hole between them from 66 factors to 41.
Staff orders due to the Hamilton menace?
These sturdy feedback from Wolff naturally elevate the query of how the workforce will translate this into motion on monitor. Is he contemplating imposing workforce orders?
“I am unsure,” he advised the French broadcaster. “We have to talk about it with the drivers, as a result of in the event you give workforce orders, you’ll be able to’t maintain altering them each race.
“However usually, if one driver has such a velocity benefit – and there is a threat of dropping a race – then perhaps we want to consider it.”
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Images from Barcelona-Catalunya GP – Sunday
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