Russell called upon to adopt greater 'cut-throat' approach against Antonelli

The British driver had kicked off the season in emphatic fashion, taking victory in the Melbourne opener and underlining the title-favourite tag he carried into the year.

However, from Shanghai onwards, his team-mate stepped up a level, delivering two standout weekends with back-to-back poles and wins, seizing the championship lead and snatching it away from Russell.

Speaking on the F1 Nation podcast, the former IndyCar driver stressed that letting a team-mate remain within striking distance can quickly swing the balance of power, insisting Russell now needs to take a far more ruthless approach.

Eddie Irvine is convinced it is only a matter of time before Kimi Antonelli and George Russell come to blows over the course of the season, given how much is at stake. Speaking to Gazzetta dello Sport, the former Ferrari driver made it clear he expects tensions to boil over, pointing to how closely matched the two are, leaving little room for team orders from Toto Wolff.

Irvine also noted that Wolff is no stranger to managing high-pressure rivalries, having already dealt with similar situations during the Hamilton-Rosberg era and later when Lewis Hamilton went head-to-head with Max Verstappen.

He referenced the intense battles from those periods, including the major crash at Silverstone, suggesting that even one of the cleanest drivers in the sport can reach a breaking point when pushed too far.