Are Mercedes team orders inevitable? Here’s what ServusTV expert Christian Klien has to say

In Barcelona, the Mercedes team had good reason to expect a Grand Prix victory. After all, George Russell started from pole position, whilst his team-mate Kimi Antonelli lined up right behind him in third place on the starting grid at the Spanish circuit. Sandwiched between the two Mercedes drivers was Lewis Hamilton, the pole-setter’s former team-mate and the Italian championship leader’s predecessor.

The seven-time world champion from the Ferrari team had already fuelled the Tifosi’s hopes of a first Grand Prix victory this year with two second-place finishes in a row, and indeed the record Grand Prix winner crossed the finish line first. He received some unintended help from the two Silver Arrow drivers, who were locked in a close battle during the race before Antonelli was hampered by a technical issue shortly before the chequered flag.

Russell had to settle for second place, and Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff immediately called for a meeting, as the duel had cost the Mercedes works team valuable time. Indeed, the Mercedes stars sat down with the team management, as Antonelli revealed in the paddock at the Red Bull Ring, and decided: if an opposing team poses a threat, an internal team battle must be avoided, especially if one of the two Mercedes drivers has a clear pace advantage.

Kimi Antonelli is the clear favourite within the Mercedes team

ServusTV expert Christian Klien is also convinced: “In Barcelona, they should have reacted more quickly to cover Hamilton for the sake of track position. That’s how the race win slipped away.” And the former F1 driver explains, looking back at the race action on the outskirts of the Spanish capital: “Yes, George put up a fight; he was on pole and led the race. But just how fast was Kimi from the second and third stints onwards? Unfortunately, that’s when the retirement happened.”

The Austrian is certain: should Ferrari prove faster again at Spielberg, Mercedes would probably have to play their trump card. “If they take points off each other, it’ll be tricky. And Mercedes has been going through a dry spell since the ground-effect era,” warns Klien, who identifies a clear favourite at Mercedes: “The pendulum is clearly swinging in Antonelli’s favour.”

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