Mercedes chief Toto Wolff speaks out on teammates George Russell and Kimi Antonelli battle ahead of Miami

Callum Vurley
Wed, 29 Apr 2026 15:28:12 +0000

Toto Wolff has issued a stark warning that Mercedes would never permit either of their drivers to believe the team revolves around them as George Russell and Kimi Antonelli vie for championship supremacy.

The Mercedes boss drew on lessons from managing previous intra-team rivalries when addressing how the Silver Arrows would handle their current situation.

"The moment a driver feels like this is all about him, that's not the mindset that we would ever allow or accept in the team," Wolff stated during a virtual press conference last week.

He emphasised that Mercedes represents something far greater than any individual competitor.

"The team is always bigger than the drivers," Wolff said, noting the responsibility of racing for 150,000 employees and a company with over 120 years of history.

Mercedes have enjoyed a commanding start to the 2026 campaign, establishing a 45-point cushion at the summit of the constructors' standings after three rounds.

In the drivers' championship, Antonelli holds a slender nine-point advantage over his more experienced team-mate.

Russell confirmed his pre-season billing as favourite by triumphing at the season opener in Australia, but the Italian teenager responded emphatically with back-to-back victories in China and Japan.

A prolonged break before this weekend's Miami Grand Prix has provided rival teams an opportunity to close the gap on Mercedes' early advantage. The cancellation of races in Bahrain and Saudi Arabia due to Middle East conflict created this extended pause in the calendar.

Despite this, both Silver Arrows drivers remain the leading contenders for the title.

Antonelli has acknowledged that his rapid start to the season has exceeded all expectations, including his own.

"Definitely, I think it's been a better start than what we all anticipated and hoped for, at least on my side," the 19-year-old said.

The Italian admitted his outlook has shifted following his maiden Formula 1 victories.

"Definitely expectations, automatically they're a bit different now," Antonelli explained, whilst stressing his commitment to maintaining the approach that delivered early success.

He remains determined to avoid becoming distracted by championship calculations.

"What I don't want to do is, now that obviously we're in a good position, is start to think about the final result, or long-term results," he said, preferring instead to concentrate on maximising each outing and gradually elevating his performance.

Russell has conceded that circumstances beyond his control contributed to his defeats in China and Japan, though he maintains he always anticipated a stern challenge from his new team-mate.

"I knew he was incredibly fast," Russell told Sky Sports. "These last two races have been slightly unfortunate from my side, and I think that's just how it goes sometimes, but I always knew he'd be keeping me on my toes."

The British driver spent four seasons watching Mercedes lose out to Red Bull and McLaren, but a major regulation overhaul has transformed their fortunes.

Russell pointed to the team's consistent front-row lockouts across all four starts this season as evidence of their strength.

"I'm just excited to get back to Miami, get back into the groove," he added.