Toto Wolff has hinted that Mercedes might rethink its strategy of letting George Russell and Kimi Antonelli race one another after the Barcelona-Catalunya Grand Prix, with Lewis Hamilton rising as a real championship menace.
Mercedes loved a really robust begin to the 2026 System 1 season, profitable the primary six grands prix, however the streak was stopped by Hamilton and Ferrari. Antonelli nonetheless leads the championship, however the Silver Arrows have additionally suffered from reliability points. With each Russell and Antonelli shedding factors following their retirements in Canada and Barcelona respectively, Wolff sees Hamilton firmly again within the struggle.
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 might have challenged for victory in Barcelona, as he reckons Antonelli had sufficient tempo to beat Hamilton, however this may occasionally have been compromised by the very fact Antonelli needed to battle his team-mate.
Wolff, who estimated Mercedes “misplaced 5 or 6 seconds” of race time “with the 2 of them combating”, says the crew 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 mentioned. “As a result of when they’re combating one another it’s positive, it may be very sporting, however when you find yourself combating in opposition to one other automobile, then typically you might have to let the quicker one by way of.”
Wolff indicated the crew will maintain inside discussions on the subject.
Toto Wolff, Mercedes
Photograph by: Simon Galloway / LAT Photographs through Getty Photographs
Having certified third, Antonelli initially adopted Russell and Hamilton at Barcelona. Whereas the Ferrari driver switched to an alternate 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 prone to receiving a time penalty for repeated track-limits violations. The crew additionally reminded each drivers that combating one another was serving to Lando Norris, who was chasing them from behind.
Antonelli, who appeared to have higher tempo than Russell on the onerous tyre, finally discovered a well past with 5 laps remaining. By then, nonetheless, Hamilton was already too far up the street.
Andrea Kimi Antonelli, Mercedes, Lewis Hamilton, Ferrari
Photograph by: Rudy Carezzevoli / Getty Photographs
“George had an unbelievable starting of the race,” the Austrian mentioned throughout his media session after the race. “It appeared like all people 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 combating, as a result of that is how we have at all times raced.
“But it surely’s a state of affairs we have to look into for the long run, with each drivers, find out how to deal with a state of affairs the place there is a tempo differential – if we’re combating for a victory, [and] on the threat of shedding 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 crew.”
Wolff: “I would somewhat not struggle” Hamilton
Hamilton’s type has come as a shock to many this yr 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 tough for Mercedes this yr.
Lewis Hamilton, Ferrari
Photograph by: Bryn Lennon / System 1 through Getty Photographs
“I would somewhat not struggle with him for a title as a result of I do know what he is able to,” he mentioned. “If he smells blood, he goes. I’ve seen it a few years the place all of the sudden the Lewis Hamilton practice began to go after which it’s totally tough to cease it.
“You see on the finish of the street you’ve 25 factors [swing in the standings] and it is vast open [for the title fight].
“That is why we will not afford to not end and we have to simply preserve placing efficiency on the automobile and on the ability unit, not make errors, be intelligent with the technique and keep completely on it.”
Rosberg: You drive collectively for the crew’s win
One other former driver of Wolff’s, Nico Rosberg, believes Mercedes might have been too honest to Russell in Barcelona and too reluctant to make use of crew orders to maximise Antonelli’s possibilities of profitable.
The German recalled that in his personal time alongside Hamilton at Mercedes, the crew’s pursuits at all times took precedence each time the drivers had been combating one another.
He cited the 2016 Monaco Grand Prix, when he was requested to let Hamilton by way of with a view to enable his team-mate to chase down Daniel Ricciardo. 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
Photograph by: Mercedes AMG
Rosberg believes Mercedes ought to have adopted the identical strategy in Barcelona.
“Mercedes was too thoughtful of George,” Rosberg mentioned 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 crew dangers shedding the victory, you drive collectively for the crew’s win.
“And Mercedes really might have and may have carried out that earlier immediately, in hindsight – but it surely’s at all times simpler to guage after the very fact.
“There isn’t a primary [driver] or quantity two. It’s additionally method too early [for the team to decide that]. That’s a really clear rule, regardless of the racing state of affairs: if the crew dangers shedding the victory, then you must drive collectively for the win.
“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, though we had been in a world championship battle.”
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