Toto Wolff has hinted that might rethink its method of letting and Kimi Antonelli race one another after the Barcelona Grand Prix, with rising as a real championship menace.
Mercedes loved a really sturdy begin to the 2026 Formulation 1 season, successful the primary six grands prix, however the streak was stopped by Hamilton and . Antonelli nonetheless leads the championship, however the Silver Arrows have additionally suffered from reliability points. With each Russell and Antonelli dropping factors following their retirements in Canada and Barcelona respectively, Wolff sees Hamilton firmly again within the battle.
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The veteran now sits 41 factors behind Antonelli and 9 forward of Russell within the standings, helped by Ferrari’s improved type following its main Barcelona improve.
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Wolff believes Mercedes may have challenged for victory in Barcelona, as he reckons Antonelli had sufficient tempo to beat Hamilton, however this will have been compromised by the very fact Antonelli needed to battle his team-mate.
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Wolff, who estimated Mercedes “misplaced 5 – 6 seconds” of race time “with the 2 of them preventing”, says the workforce should talk about whether or not it ought to intervene in future to stop rivals from benefiting.
“That’s one thing we should have a look at for future races when a brand new competitor is available in,” he stated. “As a result of when they’re preventing one another it’s advantageous, it may be very sporting, however when you’re preventing in opposition to one other automobile, then typically you will have to let the sooner one by.”
Wolff indicated the workforce will maintain inner discussions on the subject.
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Toto Wolff, Mercedes
Toto Wolff, Mercedes
Having certified third, Antonelli initially adopted Russell and Hamilton at Barcelona. Whereas the Ferrari driver switched to another technique, Antonelli progressively closed in on his Mercedes team-mate round half-distance.
Mercedes selected to not intrude in that battle, though it did warn Antonelli to watch out as he was susceptible to receiving a time penalty for repeated track-limits violations. The workforce additionally reminded each drivers that preventing one another was serving to , who was chasing them from behind.
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Antonelli, who appeared to have higher tempo than Russell on the arduous tyre, finally discovered a well past with 5 laps remaining. By then, nevertheless, Hamilton was already too far up the highway.
Andrea Kimi Antonelli, Mercedes, Lewis Hamilton, Ferrari
Andrea Kimi Antonelli, Mercedes, Lewis Hamilton, Ferrari
“George had an unbelievable starting of the race,” the Austrian stated throughout his media session after the race. “It appeared like everyone was standing nonetheless behind him. However then the tempo fell away. And the opposite two stints, clearly Kimi had the benefit. And we did not intrude in them preventing, as a result of that is how we have at all times raced.
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“However it’s a scenario we have to look into for the longer term, with each drivers, the right way to deal with a scenario the place there is a tempo differential – if we’re preventing for a victory, [and] on the threat of dropping a victory.
“And that is going to be an attention-grabbing dialogue. However at all times completely clear to the very best curiosity of the workforce.”
Wolff: “I might moderately not battle” Hamilton
Hamilton’s type has come as a shock to many this 12 months after the seven-time world champion struggled throughout his first season with Ferrari. However after failing to attain a single podium in 2025, he has already completed within the prime three in China, Monaco and Canada earlier than claiming victory in Barcelona.
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Wolff, who labored with Hamilton for greater than a decade, has little doubt his former driver could make life troublesome for Mercedes this 12 months.
Lewis Hamilton, Ferrari
Lewis Hamilton, Ferrari
“I might moderately not battle with him for a title as a result of I do know what he is able to,” he stated. “If he smells blood, he goes. I’ve seen it a few years the place abruptly the Lewis Hamilton practice began to go after which it’s extremely troublesome to cease it.
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“You see on the finish of the highway you have got 25 factors [swing in the standings] and it is extensive open [for the title fight].
“That is why we will not afford to not end and we have to simply hold placing efficiency on the automobile and on the facility unit, not make errors, be intelligent with the technique and keep completely on it.”
Rosberg: You drive collectively for the workforce’s win
One other former driver of Wolff’s, , believes Mercedes might have been too honest to Russell in Barcelona and too reluctant to make use of workforce orders to maximise Antonelli’s probabilities of successful.
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The German recalled that in his personal time alongside Hamilton at Mercedes, the workforce’s pursuits at all times took precedence every time the drivers have been preventing one another.
He cited the 2016 Monaco Grand Prix, when he was requested to let Hamilton by to be able to enable his team-mate to chase down . Regardless of being in a championship battle with Hamilton, Rosberg moved apart as a result of he lacked the tempo to problem the Pink Bull.
Nico Rosberg and Lewis Hamilton, Monaco GP 2016
Nico Rosberg and Lewis Hamilton, Monaco GP 2016
Rosberg believes Mercedes ought to have adopted the identical method in Barcelona.
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“Mercedes was too thoughtful of George,” Rosberg stated in a dialog with Ralf Schumacher on Sky Germany after the race. “Usually, even again in my day, it’s at all times like this: as quickly because the workforce dangers dropping the victory, you drive collectively for the workforce’s win.
“And Mercedes really may have and may have executed that earlier as we speak, in hindsight – nevertheless it’s at all times simpler to evaluate after the very fact.
“There is no such thing as a primary [driver] or quantity two. It’s additionally manner too early [for the team to decide that]. That’s a really clear rule, regardless of the racing scenario: if the workforce dangers dropping the victory, then it’s important to drive collectively for the win.
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“That was the case in our time too. I waved Lewis previous in Monaco, keep in mind? I used to be second, he was third. Ricciardo was pulling away within the Pink Bull. I waved him previous, although we have been in a world championship battle.”
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