Wolff warns he will put handbrake on Russell-Antonelli duel if necessary

Mercedes boss Toto Wolff has drawn a firm line after a fiery Canadian Grand Prix that saw Kimi Antonelli and George Russell push their intra-team rivalry to the edge. The two drivers swapped positions repeatedly in a high-speed duel that lit up both the sprint and the Grand Prix, but Wolff saw enough risk to warn that the leash still exists.

Why it matters:

Mercedes' driver relationship is a delicate balance. Letting them race freely can extract maximum performance, but the margins in Montreal were uncomfortably tight. With both drivers hungry for a championship, Wolff must ensure internal competition doesn't cost the team vital points or cause a double DNF.

The details:

• Wolff acknowledged the spectacle but noted several close calls: "Kimi tucking back in and locking the tyres could have ended in a double DNF. Not because of over-aggressive driving, simply by a mistake."
• Mercedes had a pace advantage in Canada, making the duel easier to tolerate. But Wolff warned that such breathing room is never guaranteed: "When they were fighting, we were losing a second to all the others."
• He dismissed suggestions of selfish racing: "They behaved like race drivers that race for a championship. I wouldn't be able to see a fault in that." However, he added that radio comms could improve.

What's next:

Wolff plans to review the race with both drivers and set clear boundaries. "If we believe that team points are at risk, or we were losing so much time to competitors, we would not be a millimetre hesitant of putting the handbrake on." The message: enjoy the freedom, but only up to a point.