Wolff admits Mercedes must reconsider free-racing policy as Hamilton closes in on Antonelli

Toto Wolff has acknowledged that Mercedes may need to impose team orders on George Russell and Kimi Antonelli after their internal battle at the Spanish Grand Prix handed Lewis Hamilton a platform to re-enter the 2026 Formula 1 title fight.

Mercedes had won the opening six races of the season, but that run ended in Barcelona, where Antonelli and Russell spent valuable laps racing each other while Hamilton and Ferrari capitalised. Wolff estimated the intra-team fight cost Mercedes “five or six seconds” of race time, with Antonelli — who appeared to have superior pace on the hard tyre — only clearing Russell five laps from the end. By that point, Hamilton was already beyond reach.

Hamilton now sits 41 points behind championship leader Antonelli and nine clear of Russell in third, a swing driven by Ferrari’s significant Barcelona upgrade and by reliability failures that have hit both Silver Arrows drivers. Antonelli retired in Barcelona; Russell had already lost points in Canada.

“That is something we will have to look at for future races when a new competitor comes in,” Wolff said after the race. “Because when they are fighting each other it is fine, it can be very sporting, but when you are fighting against another car, then sometimes you may have to let the faster one through.”

Wolff believes Antonelli had the outright pace to beat Hamilton in Barcelona, suggesting the team’s hands-off approach may have cost them a victory. During the race, Mercedes did warn Antonelli about repeated track-limits violations that put him at risk of a time penalty, and reminded both drivers that their battle was benefiting Lando Norris behind them — but stopped short of issuing a formal instruction to hold position.

The team principal indicated that internal discussions on the policy are now inevitable, with Hamilton and Ferrari firmly established as championship rivals rather than distant threats. Whether Mercedes moves to protect Antonelli’s points lead by prioritising him over Russell — or maintains the open-racing philosophy that has defined their season so far — is set to be one of the defining tactical questions of the coming rounds.