Can Mercedes avoid Antonelli vs Russell civil war?
From The Race F1 Podcast by The Race Media Ltd
June 1, 2026 · 1h 7m
About this episode
The episode discusses how Toto Wolff can manage the competitive dynamics between Mercedes teammates George Russel and Kimi Antonelli.
We ask what Toto Wolff’s version of ‘papaya rules’ should look like as he bids to keep battling Mercedes team-mates George Russel and Kimi Antonelli in line in the latest episode of The Race F1 Podcast. Nelson Valkenburg and Scott Mitchell-Malm join Edd Straw to discuss the way the battle could and should be managed on track, and the risks of trying to keep too tight a leash on Antonelli and Russell. We also take listener questions on Ferrari communications, Valtteri Bottas’s struggles, the driving style flexibility of the 2026 car and the chances of the field closing up at the front. There’s also a look at the troubled form of Esteban Ocon and Alex Albon, McLaren’s strategy malaise and the focus of rule changes. Get bonus F1 podcasts, extra content and ad-free listening, sign-up to The Race Members' Club on Patreon today . Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
People in this episode
Host: Edd Straw
Guests: Nelson Valkenburg, Scott Mitchell-Malm
Topics covered
- Mercedes team dynamics
- F1 strategy
- driver management
- listener questions
- team performance
- rule changes
Keywords
- Mercedes
- F1
- Toto Wolff
- George Russel
- Kimi Antonelli
- listener questions
- Ferrari
- Valtteri Bottas
- Esteban Ocon
- Alex Albon
Mentioned in this episode
Organizations: McLaren, Ferrari
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