Mercedes provide team orders update as intense title fight heats up

Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff has voiced his desire to refrain from using team orders as his drivers fight for the drivers' championship.

Kimi Antonelli currently leads team-mate George Russell by 43 points in the standings, having won four races on the bounce ahead of Monaco.

Last time out in Canada, the duo endured a tense wheel-to-wheel battle in the sprint race, before they scrapped for the lead in another thrilling battle in the grand prix.

Mercedes opted not to intervene, but the fight was cut short when Russell suffered a power unit issue, forcing him to park up.

Should the two find themselves in a similar situation going forward, Wolff asserted he would like to avoid having to step in.

“We will refrain from team orders for as long as possible – and if possible, then completely,” Wolff told BILD. 

“We don't believe we need them and let the drivers drive. They know where the limit is. 

“In Canada, they almost exceeded it, but we cleared that up in a discussion.”

Both Antonelli and Russell are graduates of Mercedes' junior programme and were part of hte organisation several years before their promotions.

Wolff insisted on his stance that the “team comes first” as he backed the two drivers to maintain respect for Mercedes' own desires.

​​“Kimi and George know what they owe Mercedes,” he said.

“Of course, drivers prefer to win the drivers' world championship rather than the constructors', but the team comes first.”