Toto Wolff delivers 'on watch' warning after Antonelli-Russell team order hint

Toto Wolff has explained when his duelling Mercedes drivers Kimi Antonelli and George Russell will be placed "on watch" in F1.

Last time out in Canada, the two engaged in fierce battles for the lead of the Sprint and grand prix, with talks being held after the Sprint where Wolff was forced to intervene on the radio and tell Antonelli to calm down after he felt Russell was "naughty" with a Turn 1 defence in which the Italian was sent across the grass.

Ultimately, Russell won the Sprint with Antonelli third before another battle in the grand prix ended with Russell's engine failure and handed Antonelli a fourth straight win and a 43-point championship lead.

Wolff indicated that he would be prepared to implement team orders in future if the security of Mercedes' result was ever threatened by his squabbling drivers - with the Austrian now explaining the importance of the radio messages to the drivers from engineers Peter Bonnington and Marcus Dudley. 

"We want to look at the pictures, and have them come to the conclusions, to the right conclusions in terms of saying: 'Do you think that was the level of fighting you think is right, and if it is, why is that?'

"We will say why we think one or two situations could have been avoided and what they want to do to mitigate it, but definitely, the fight is more on than ever.

"There is so much at stake. 

"When you ask them to tidy it up, it doesn't mean you should be stopping it; you actually allow the racing, but you are saying: 'You are on watch, ' and we had a few situations that could have ended in DNFs.

"When you listen to the radio communications, there is room for improvement, but in terms of your heart on your sleeve, it is right, but how can I say: 'Concentrate on the driving?' That is important, but other than that, they behaved like racing drivers that are racing for a championship, so I wouldn't be able to see a fault in that."