Sports · Motorsport · 7 hrs ago
Wolff says Mercedes will be open about any driver preference
Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff says the team aims to treat drivers Andrea Kimi Antonelli and George Russell equally.
Antonelli is closing in on the 2026 drivers' championship, while Russell has faced repeated grid penalties.
Wolff says he learned about the risks of hidden favouritism from a conversation with former champion Alain Prost.
Prost described how uncertainty about whether he or Ayrton Senna was favoured at McLaren contributed to mistrust between them.
Wolff says drivers need to feel protected and know where they stand within their team.
He says Mercedes will tell both drivers openly if it decides to favour one of them as part of a team strategy.
That approach is intended to keep the team united under championship pressure.
Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff says he will openly explain any decision to favour one driver.
He says transparency is essential to prevent mistrust between drivers and within the team.
Wolff based this approach on a conversation with former world champion Alain Prost about the rivalry between Prost and Ayrton Senna.
Mercedes drivers Andrea Kimi Antonelli and George Russell are competing amid different circumstances in the 2026 season.
Wolff says any change to team strategy would be shared openly with both sides of the garage.
- Who
- Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff, and drivers Andrea Kimi Antonelli and George Russell.
- What
- Wolff says Mercedes will be open if it decides to favour one driver as part of a team strategy.
- When
- The article was published on 11 October 2026; the date of Wolff’s comments is not stated.
- Where
- Mercedes’ Formula 1 team; the location of the comments is not stated.
- Why
- Wolff says transparency can prevent mistrust and help keep the team unified.
This story does not have two clearly opposing sides.
I need to be transparent.
I will say, these are the rules now, and we'll be very open and transparent.
You need to feel emotionally protected by the team.
While working at Williams, Wolff asked Alain Prost about how his rivalry with Ayrton Senna had escalated.
Antonelli was closing in on the drivers’ championship while Russell was dealing with grid penalties.
- Team principal
- Toto Wolff
- Mercedes drivers
- Andrea Kimi Antonelli and George Russell
- Season
- 2026
- Source article publication
- 11 October 2026
Sources
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