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Former Haas team boss Guenther Steiner has highlighted the exact moment that will force Toto Wolff to enforce team orders at Mercedes.
From the moment the 2026 Formula 1 season got underway, it was clear to see that Mercedes would be the team to beat this year.
The Silver Arrows, led by Wolff, with George Russell and Kimi Antonelli in the W17, were unbeatable in the opening six rounds.
However, Mercedes’ winning streak came to an end last weekend when Lewis Hamilton won the Barcelona Grand Prix for Ferrari, his first since joining the team in 2025.
Meanwhile, Antonelli suffered a DNF in Barcelona, which means he now has a 41-point lead over Hamilton in the world championship standings.
With Ferrari threatening to halt Mercedes’ early dominance, questions have been raised about whether Wolff should introduce team orders.
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Guenther Steiner suspects Ferrari will force Toto Wolff into Mercedes team orders
Speaking on the latest episode of The Red Flags podcast, ex-Haas team principal Steiner stated that Wolff will enforce team orders if Ferrari’s Barcelona performance becomes the norm.
The 61-year-old claimed that Wolff ‘will not lose a championship’ because he didn’t enforce team orders, stating that the Mercedes team boss is ‘ready’ to win again.
Steiner explained: “They both had a DNF now, so it’s 1-1; nobody can use that as an excuse now. I think if you sum it up, Kimi won five races and George won one, that says it all.
“Kimi is still in the driving seat. Mercedes let them race freely if the performance of Ferrari was a one-off in Barcelona.
“I think if the performance of Ferrari is now the state of the union, I think Toto will come down to give team orders.”
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He added: “Toto will not lose a championship because he didn’t give team orders; I’m pretty much sure about that. He wants to win; he didn’t win now for a while; he’s ready to win another championship.
“For Zak (Brown, McLaren CEO), the winning came a little unexpected, while Toto was used to winning; he wants that feeling again, and I think for Toto, winning means Mercedes winning, aka Toto winning. Who is winning for him? I don’t think he really cares.”
Speaking on the back of the Barcelona Grand Prix, Wolff did hint at Mercedes team orders after claiming that racing as a team cost them the win.
The 2026 F1 season will continue next weekend with the Austrian Grand Prix, which will be held around the Red Bull Ring.
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