Toto Wolff response to Mercedes intra-team F1 battle predicted: 'Not someone you want to cross'

TL;DR

Toto Wolff, Mercedes team chief, is seen as a formidable figure in team orders discussions, especially with drivers George Russell and Kimi Antonelli. Antonelli currently leads the standings over Russell by 20 points after recent victories.

Key points

Toto Wolff is a formidable figure in team orders discussions.
Kimi Antonelli leads the standings over George Russell by 20 points.
Antonelli's recent victories have raised questions about team orders.

Mentioned in this story

Mercedes

George RussellKimi Antonelli

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Former W Series driver and Sky Sports analyst Naomi Schiff has argued that Mercedes team chief Toto Wolff is not someone who drivers George Russell and Kimi Antonelli would want to cross in team orders discussions.

Russell was a clear favourite heading into the 2026 season. But after winning the season-opening Australian Grand Prix and the Chinese sprint race, his 19-year-old team-mate Antonelli became a threat to his championship push.

The Italian driver now leads the standings by 20 points over Russell after winning the Chinese, Japanese and Miami Grands Prix. His somewhat surprising boost in performance has now begged the question of team orders within the Brackley outfit.

While discussing how Mercedes could deal with the intra-team dynamic, Schiff explained on the Up To Speed podcast: "First of all, Toto will have learned a lot of lessons from the Hamilton-Rosberg era, the one that we all saw come crashing down back in 2016.

"But I think he also put out a message saying that these drivers need to remember that they are not bigger than the team. And if anyone starts to think it's about them, he's going to correct that very quickly. Now, I don't know about you guys, but as lovely and as charming as Toto comes across, he doesn't really give me the feeling that he's someone that you want to cross.

Andrea Kimi Antonelli, Mercedes, Toto Wolff, Mercedes

Q&A

Why is Toto Wolff considered a tough figure in team orders discussions?

Toto Wolff is viewed as a strong leader who drivers may not want to challenge, especially during critical team strategy discussions.

How did Kimi Antonelli become a threat to George Russell's championship hopes?

Kimi Antonelli became a threat after winning multiple races, including the Chinese, Japanese, and Miami Grands Prix, leading the standings by 20 points.

What impact do team orders have on the Mercedes drivers' performance?

Team orders can significantly influence race strategies and driver performance, particularly as competition intensifies between Russell and Antonelli.