Hamilton changes how Mercedes operates as Antonelli confirms Wolff's admission

Last time out in Barcelona, Hamilton reopened the conversation about the possibility of another non-Mercedes driver contending for the championship when he converted a masterfully executed race into victory in the colours of Scuderia Ferrari. The win for Hamilton not only cut Antonelli's lead at the top of the championship standings to 41 points, but it also raised questions about how the Mercedes outfit manages its drivers' racing, considering how quickly the chasing pack is closing in.

However, ahead of this weekend’s Grand Prix in Spielberg, Antonelli has confirmed that the Mercedes team is open to embracing team orders in order to achieve its bigger goal. Speaking to GPblog, among other outlets, in Austria, the young Italian was quizzed about the team’s driving etiquette going forward, with Hamilton closing in, and Antonelli indeed confirmed that the team would aim to race more "wisely".

“Yeah, for sure it's not going to be easy because obviously in the race the emotions are running very high and in the moment you're just thinking about doing your best and trying to win the race. Of course, from now on, it's going to be important to race even more wisely because it's not just about George and me anymore, but the others are coming,” Antonelli explained.

The 19-year-old contGeorge and meng how such team etiquette could come into play as early as this weekend at the Austrian Grand Prix, particularly with the flurry of upgrades several teams are introducing to their cars.

“So I think this weekend is gonna be a weekend where I think all the top four will be super close because Ferrari is bringing a new engine, a bit more powerful engine. Red Bull is bringing a big, big upgrade, which should give them a lot of performance, and also McLaren, they've been there ever since Miami. So I think it's, yeah, definitely the way I'm going to go racing is maybe a little bit also, it depends a lot on the scenario,” he added.

“You know, if there are other drivers that are close, other competitors that are very close, then probably I will race in a different way than if it was just me and George racing. So it will all depend on the pace, how fast we are, and where we are on the grid,” Antonelli concluded.

Earlier, Antonelli admitted he is ready for a potential title fight against Hamilton, similar to the battle the seven-time champion had with Max Verstappen in 2021.

Hamilton finds himself back in title contention for the first time in five years after his now-iconic championship battle with the Dutchman, which culminated in the dramatic Abu Dhabi finale, where the Red Bull driver came out on top, leaving the former Mercedes driver heartbroken after missing out on the title.

Speaking to GPblog in Austria, after being asked whether he would feel ready for a title battle similar to the one Hamilton and Verstappen fought in 2021, the championship leader admitted he is preparing himself for any scenario.

Antonelli said he knows opportunities to fight for a world title do not come around every season, stressing that he wants to be ready to give everything if the chance becomes more realistic later in the year. At the same time, he acknowledged that he still has a great deal to learn and plenty of experience to gain, but believes everything he has learned so far will help him if the title fight intensifies.