David Coulthard says Toto Wolff is harsher on George Russell than ‘little baby’ Kimi Antonelli

Follow us on Google Discover

David Coulthard has claimed that Toto Wolff will be much harsher on George Russell than ‘little baby’ Kimi Antonelli amid the pair’s title fight.

It is well documented that Mercedes have been the dominant force in 2026, which has allowed Russell and Antonelli to fight for the title.

So far, Antonelli has won three races, with Russell tasting victory just once, which was the season opener in Australia.

With the Canadian Grand Prix on the horizon, Russell is under mounting pressure to halt Antonelli’s winning streak.

David Coulthard warns George Russell amid Kimi Antonelli battle

Speaking on the latest episode of the Up To Speed podcast, former Red Bull driver Coulthard stated that Russell will be judged more harshly than Antonelli, who has been labelled as a ‘puppy’.

Coulthard added that Wolff would have already reminded Russell and Antonelli about what happened in 2016 during the title fight between Lewis Hamilton and Nico Rosberg.

Coulthard said: “Here is the big question for me: are they going to be free to race? To answer my own question, of course, they’re going to be free to race. But what Toto, I’m sure, has read the riot act on if we go back to Barcelona 2016.

“When Hamilton and Rosberg crashed on the opening lap. Toto flipped his chips, and apparently, he made the drivers pay for the crash damage, which would have been hundreds of thousands of pounds.

“There is a clause in every contract I’ve ever seen. I was able to do work experience in a lawyer’s office, and I got to see Senna’s contract. There was one clause that was in every contract.”

He continued: “If you bring the team into disrepute, then that’s a sackable offence, a loose term that covers things like public embarrassment and crashing, things like that.

“So yeah, I can believe he was able to threaten him with that, that would be the worst nightmare for George should he come wheel to wheel with Kimi.

“Kimi is still the puppy, little baby. We accept little mistakes from youth. We’re not quite so forgiving when they’ve got a bit more experience.”

“So, in that respect, George has got more responsibility and more pressure.”

Should Toto Wolff treat George Russell harsher than Kimi Antonelli?

Comment

Like or Comment

Have your say Sign-in now for free

READ MORE: Jolyon Palmer warns that Kimi Antonelli ‘bloopers’ could hand George Russell the world championship

George Russell faces ‘big weekend’ at the Canadian Grand Prix

Trailing by 20 points, Russell needs to quickly pick up the pace and get more victories on the board if he wants to stay close to Antonelli.

Ahead of what is being billed as a ‘make or break’ weekend for Russell, Coulthard added: “If George puts it into the Wall of Champions, which he is not a champion yet, which is the last chicane named because Schumacher, Villeneuve, Damon Hill, others who have won world championships have plumped it into that wall.

“Suddenly, our job is to ask questions and that builds pressure. I see this as a big, big weekend.”