Championship leader Kimi Antonelli has revealed that Mercedes will adopt new intra-team racing rules at the Austrian Grand Prix, allowing him and team mate George Russell to race freely when not under threat from rival teams, while also topping both Friday practice sessions at the Red Bull Ring.
The Italian teenager, who holds a 41-point lead in the Drivers’ standings after five consecutive victories before retiring from last round in Barcelona, confirmed the policy shift during Thursday’s media day in Spielberg. Mercedes Team Principal Toto Wolff had flagged a potential change in approach after the Spanish Grand Prix, where Antonelli and Russell’s wheel-to-wheel battle allowed Ferrari’s Lewis Hamilton to capitalize and take his first Grand Prix victory for the Scuderia.
“How we go racing, I think it will really depend on the situation,” Antonelli said. “If we are under threat by other teams then we will race differently, but if it’s just me and him we are going to be able to race free.”
Antonelli’s Barcelona retirement, which came from second place with just three laps remaining, served as a stark reminder that his championship advantage is far from secure. Hamilton’s victory in Spain made the seven-time world champion Antonelli’s closest challenger, and Ferrari is bringing a power unit upgrade to Austria that could further tighten the title fight.
Asked whether he feared Hamilton, Russell, or reliability issues the most, Antonelli was candid. “All of them,” he said. “But it’s not worried or concerned. I’m aware that it’s not going to be a walk in the park. It’s going to be a tough battle because George is super quick, Lewis is in a great moment and is feeling the car and momentum.”
The 2026 championship leader also refused to discount Red Bull’s Max Verstappen, pointing to last season as evidence that no deficit is insurmountable. “I wouldn’t write off the others either. I think you look what Max did last year coming back from so far, that’s why it’s important to always be present, stay focused and just do your best.”
Antonelli backed up his words with pace on Friday, topping Free Practice 1 ahead of Russell and McLaren’s Oscar Piastri as Mercedes locked out the top two positions. He then led FP2 as well, this time finishing ahead of Piastri and Lando Norris, according to official FIA timing data. The double-session dominance suggests Mercedes remain the team to beat heading into qualifying and the race.
The new team orders framework represents a pragmatic evolution for Mercedes, who watched their two drivers compromise each other in Barcelona while a rival capitalized. With Antonelli’s 41-point cushion still substantial but no longer untouchable after his first non-finish of the season, the team appears determined to balance competitive freedom between its drivers with strategic discipline when the championship is at stake.