Toto Wolff slates 'lunatics' over bias claims in George Russell Kimi Antonelli F1 title fight

Toto Wolff has hit back at suggestions that Mercedes is favouring Kimi Antonelli over George Russell in this year's title fight, branding those making the accusations "lunatics."

The Mercedes team principal was asked directly whether there is bias within the Brackley-based squad towards Antonelli, who holds a 102-point lead over Russell in this year's F1 drivers' championship.

The gap has fuelled online debate over whether Mercedes is tilting its resources towards the Italian, which angers Wolff, who has firmly rejected that narrative, insisting the team treats both drivers equally.

Speaking on the subject, Wolff has explained his approach to managing drivers dates back to the start of his time in the sport.

"Since I came into Formula 1, even in my Williams days, I've always tried to be balanced and transparent with the drivers," he said, speaking to the media, including RacingNews365.

"I have told this story before. I remember being a complete rookie and running into Alain Prost on the grid of a race, and I said, 'Just out of interest, why did it go so wrong between you and [Ayrton] Senna?'

"And he said, 'Because we never knew what the team [McLaren] was about. You felt that you were the flavour of the month one time, and then two months later you thought the politics were going against you. There were different situations where you had the feeling that you're really not wanted'."

Wolff details what is important

Referencing the internal feud between Lewis Hamilton and Nico Rosberg during their time together as Mercedes team-mates from 2013 to 2016, Wolff added: "So I took it as my challenge to always keep it balanced, and it was not easy with Lewis and Nico back in the day.

"That's why people can think what they want, but the integrity in that respect is important for me, and the drivers know it.

"We have had Kimi since he was 11. He is an integral part of the team. It is very nice to see him grow, to be in a position now that he is fighting for a championship at such a young age, the talent he has."

Wolff then turned to his relationship with Russell, who has been part of the Mercedes set-up since he was 17.

"And then on the other side, George is someone who I have a lot of emotions and compassion for," he said. "We are very close. We are spending time off the track with each other, with Carmen and Susie.

"If people would see that we're travelling together, we're having coffee in the same coffee shop, we're going to the gym, that's why it's pretty annoying to have some lunatics that have no understanding really about how relationships work coming up with these kinds of accusations. So, I don't pay any attention to this."