Toto Wolff has no doubt the 'elbows will come out' between George Russell and Kimi Antonelli this season should they battle for the F1 title, but is confident there will be no repeat of the rivalry that engulfed Lewis Hamilton and Nico Rosberg.
When Hamilton joined Rosberg at Mercedes in 2013, it was viewed at the time as two friends joining forces to improve an F1 team that had struggled following its return to F1 in 2010, given a relationship that went back to their karting days.
When it became apparent Mercedes would dominate the sport in 2014 following the introduction of the hybrid power units, the friendship between Hamilton and Rosberg turned sour, particularly after the Briton won the title that year, and again in 2015.
Rosberg finally turned the tables in 2016, and promptly turned his back on the sport as he felt he had accomplished all he could.
With the introduction of new rules for this season, Mercedes has again emerged as the leading team, with one point separating Russell and Antonelli following a victory apiece in the opening two races in Australia and China.
Wolff is adamant the situation between Russell and Antonelli is "completely different" compared to Hamilton and Rosberg, although has acknowledged it will still have to be managed given the competitiveness that will naturally emerge.
"Nico and Lewis knew each other from karting, from the early days being friends, but also having this social fight that was always ingrained in there," said Wolff, speaking to the media, including RacingNews365.
"Then, what was a friendship became a healthy rivalry; then a rivalry, and then animosity, and it was two very different characters.
"Having said that, you need to appreciate that drivers are like they are to win races and championships, and the moment you sniff that, then the elbows come out. That's something that the team needs to manage.
"But both of them are Mercedes juniors. We've been responsible for their trajectory since they came into single-seaters, even in karting.
"I feel at this stage, and maybe I'm going to bite my tongue one day, that we're in a totally different situation."
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