Mercedes had to intervene after an intense battle between George Russell and Kimi Antonelli during the Sprint race in Montreal, but received a clear message from its drivers. After a meeting with the team management, both defended that they should continue to have the freedom to compete directly on the track.
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The meeting took place before the qualifying session for the Formula 1 Canadian GP, after a fierce duel that almost caused a more serious accident between the two drivers. Despite the tension during the race, the conversation was described by the team as constructive and positive.
In the Sprint, Russell came out on top in the internal battle and won, while Antonelli finished behind Lando Norris after going off track for the second time. The nineteen-year-old Italian was especially upset with a move in the first corner, when he believed he was not given enough space by his teammate and had to go through the grass.
During the race, Antonelli even asked over the radio for Russell to be punished for the incident. However, the team principal, Toto Wolff, got on the team radio and advised the driver to leave the complaints until after the race.
According to Bradley Lord, Mercedes director, the situation was discussed in a meeting involving Wolff and the two drivers. The executive explained that the goal was to analyze the events of the Sprint and define how the duo intends to handle future battles within the team.
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“After the Sprint race in Canada, there was a conversation with Toto and also with the two drivers. They talked about how the Sprint happened and how they want to compete against each other from now on,” Lord said during the Nu Silver Arrows program.
The executive also revealed that Antonelli compared the meeting to a visit to a school principal’s office, but highlighted the friendly tone of the meeting. According to him, both the Italian and Russell showed the same position on the matter.
“The message from the drivers was clear: ‘Trust the battle between us. That’s why we were hired, we can do this and we are capable of ensuring that this battle always happens putting Mercedes’ interests first, and not just the individual priorities of each driver’,” was said by the two drivers according to Lord.
This statement reinforces the duo’s confidence in managing direct battles without compromising the team’s goals. Even after the tense moment in Montreal, Russell and Antonelli made it clear that they want to continue fighting for positions freely, as long as Mercedes’ collective benefit remains the priority.
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