Toto Wolff refuses to relive the tensions of the Hamilton-Rosberg era and warns that he will not hesitate to remove a driver if the situation escalates.
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Mercedes dominates the start of the 2026 F1 season with eight wins in eleven Grands Prix, but Toto Wolff keeps a close eye on another issue: the coexistence between his two drivers.
The head of the German team is well placed to know how much an internal fight for the title can weaken a team. Between 2014 and 2016, the rivalry between Lewis Hamilton and Nico Rosberg regularly escalated, causing several collisions and strong tensions within Mercedes.
This time, Wolff is categorical: he will never allow such a situation to happen again.
“I will not allow it. It will never happen to me again. It will never happen to this team again.”
The Austrian leader goes even further by mentioning the sanction he would apply if one of his drivers crossed the line.
“It’s very simple: if a driver acts this way, I will remove him from the team.”
Antonelli dominates, Russell resists
After eleven rounds, Kimi Antonelli is comfortably leading the championship thanks to six wins.
George Russell, who was considered a favorite at the start of the season due to his experience, now has a significant gap of 59 points.
Despite this gap, no open rivalry has yet emerged between the two drivers.
Wolff intends precisely to preserve this working atmosphere, convinced that it is one of the keys to Mercedes’ current success.
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Russell victim of a bad streak
The Mercedes boss also refuses to place the responsibility for George Russell’s difficulties solely on his performance level.
According to him, several unfortunate incidents have heavily weighed on the Briton’s season.
“George was leading in Canada before his retirement. That could have been an additional win and it would have certainly given him more confidence for the following races.”
Wolff also recalls that Mercedes discovered an engine problem that cost Russell about two tenths per lap, not to mention his penalty in Monaco or his retirement on the first lap in Belgium after a collision.
Wolff remains convinced he can bounce back
The leader believes that the pressure naturally increased when Russell saw Antonelli string together successes.
He recalls that the young Italian had nevertheless experienced a much more difficult first season.
“Kimi had gone nine races without scoring a single point last year, then he became very competitive this season. Expectations change quickly and suddenly, it’s George who finds himself in difficulty.”
However, Wolff does not doubt his driver’s ability to reverse the trend.
“If there is anyone capable of getting out of a difficult situation, it is George. He is a fighter. The best always know how to bounce back, and I am convinced he is capable of it.”
While Mercedes is enjoying a particularly successful start to the season today, Toto Wolff wants to send a clear message: sporting performance will never justify his drivers jeopardizing the team’s balance.
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