Mercedes F1 drivers warned over skulduggery and tricks in title fight

Mercedes

Mercedes F1 drivers warned over skulduggery and tricks in title fight

David Croft has warned Mercedes

Sam Cook Digital Journalist

Sports Journalist who has been covering motorsport since 2023

Tuesday 2 June 2026 16:45

An F1 pundit has warned Mercedes and their two drivers about the brewing battle at the team.

With Mercedes the dominant outfit in 2026, George Russell and Kimi Antonelli have found themselves in a drivers' championship battle, with Antonelli currently leading that by 43 points.

For the first time this season, Russell and Antonelli fought hard for the lead in both races at last weekend's Canadian Grand Prix, with Russell getting the better of the young Italian in the sprint race, before having to retire from the main race with a battery issue.

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But in the sprint race, Antonelli had to be told by his team boss Toto Wolff to 'stop moaning' on two occasions, after some aggravated radio messages from the 19-year-old.

The two drivers find themselves in a similar position to McLaren stars Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri last year, but we didn't get to see those drivers fight on track too many times, with McLaren implementing team orders.

Antonelli and Russell's battle in Canada was the first sign of the rivalry overstepping the line on-track, but Mercedes are taking a completely different approach to McLaren last season, it seems.

Now, Sky Sports F1 pundit David Croft has had his say about the two drivers' rivalry.

Croft believes Mercedes drivers should be left alone

Croft stated that Mercedes should not implement McLaren-style team orders just yet, but warned the two drivers about not getting involved in a Lewis Hamilton and Nico Rosberg-style rivalry.

"Mercedes have already got a fairly handsome lead in the constructors' championship," Croft said on the Sky F1 Show. "That will only grow I think. Monaco they might not have all their own way, but they're still the class of the field.

"They don't need an intervention yet. Didn't need an intervention with McLaren last year.

"You are paying these drivers handsomely. You should trust them. Every employer should trust their employees to do their job because you've put your faith in them by giving them that job.

"So, stay away for the time being. Don't intervene. Don't change it. Just keep reminding them of what those rules of engagement are and give us fans a real treat.

"I'm not here to give Toto Wolff advice, but if I was, it'd be, 'shh', for the time being. And then when they do take themselves out, if they take themselves out, that's when you can intervene as a team.

"But I don't think anything we've seen at the weekend is going to spill over into the Lewis Hamilton-Nico Rosberg type of rivalry. I think there's a very healthy respect. But we'll see what skulduggery and tricks might get played in the future."

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F1 Mercedes George Russell Kimi Antonelli David Croft