Guenther Steiner, former Haas F1 team principal, lauded Toto Wolff for permitting Mercedes teammates George Russell and Kimi Antonelli to contest each other freely during the Canadian Grand Prix.
Mercedes dominates a regulation‑heavy 2026 season
The introduction of the new 2026 rule package has coincided with an unbroken winning streak for the Brackley squad, which has claimed victory at every race to date. Russell opened the year with a win in Melbourne, while Antonelli has become the youngest driver to lead the championship, securing successive triumphs in China, Japan, Miami and now Canada.
Intra‑team tension surfaces in sprint and race
Saturday’s sprint saw Antonelli accuse his teammate of forcing him off the racing line, a grievance that spilled onto the team radio. By the time the Sunday Grand Prix commenced, the two drivers seemed to have settled their differences, engaging in a fierce duel that lasted the first 30 laps before Russell’s car suffered a failure and retired.
Steiner’s view on Wolff’s hands‑off approach
During an appearance on The Red Flags Podcast, Steiner described Wolff as the “rockstar of the week”, emphasizing that the team principal refrained from intervening, allowing the young Italian and the experienced Briton to battle on merit. He speculated that the drivers likely discussed the sprint incident among themselves, but noted that Wolff’s decision not to quash the rivalry was, in his opinion, commendable.
As the season unfolds, Mercedes’ internal competition promises to remain a pivotal storyline, testing both the team’s strategic restraint and the drivers’ capacity to coexist at the front of the grid.
"