Toto Wolff backed to share the love as Mercedes fight intensifies

Martin Brundle believes Toto Wolff will have no problem supporting George Russell and Kimi Antonelli simultaneously if the current F1 season develops into a two-horse race between the pair.

The Mercedes team principal is no stranger to intra-team title fights, having managed Lewis Hamilton and Nico Rosberg through three tumultuous campaigns between 2014 and 2016, with the Briton taking two championships, and the German driver one.

But showing the love to two drivers — in the heat of battle — concurrently is easier said than done, and Brundle was quick to point out that many other team bosses have been unable to do so.

"They're both protégés of Mercedes-Benz," Brundle said on Sky Sports F1. "They've been brought through the system together.

"But is Toto one of those team bosses... We know a few of them who can only love one driver at a time.

"I think he's shown that he can handle two fast drivers in the team, even if they run into each other every so often."

Russell given the upper hand

Antonelli, by virtue of winning the last three races in China, Japan, and Miami, leads his more experienced team-mate by 20 points in the championship race. He is the youngest driver in F1 history — and the first teenager — to lead the standings.

Nigel Mansell, the 1992 F1 champion, has recently called for Russell to stamp his authority on the situation at Mercedes, given he is still the quicker of the two. But Brundle does not see it the same way.

When those remarks were put to the 66-year-old, he replied: "I think George stamped some authority some time ago, a year or two back, to be honest, with victories and pole positions."

However, he conceded that the Italian cannot be counted out, even if Russell does still have the upper hand.

"You can't underestimate Kimi Antonelli," the former F1 driver added. "When you saw Antonelli's pace to win the Japanese Grand Prix, that was something quite special, but then of course, he got quite lucky with the safety car, and George [got] unlucky with the safety car.

"So I'm still of the opinion that George's experience will play out a few times this year, which will give him the upper hand. But as with any sport at the highest level, you can't underestimate anybody."