Nico Rosberg says it’s ‘inevitable’ that Kimi Antonelli and George Russell will ‘clash’ at Mercedes

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Nico Rosberg has no doubt that title rivals Kimi Antonelli and George Russell will eventually ‘clash’ at Mercedes this season.

It’s been 10 years since two Mercedes drivers went head-to-head for the title. Between 2014 and 2016, Rosberg and Lewis Hamilton fought it out in a dominant car.

Hamilton prevailed in the first two years before Rosberg took the championship in 2016, which proved to be his final season in F1. The two drivers had a long-standing friendship, but it couldn’t survive the inherent tension of the title fight.

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Nico Rosberg predicts Kimi Antonelli and George Russell will fall out

Antonelli leads Russell by 20 points after winning Sunday’s Miami Grand Prix, his third successive victory.

The Italian struggled to get close to his teammate during his rookie season, so Russell wasn’t expected to face particularly strong internal competition. But now his status as title favourite is under serious threat.

Russell says he hasn’t underestimated Antonelli, but the 19-year-old’s leap has surprised many in F1. He is, after all, the first teenage championship leader in the sport’s history.

Will the Mercedes drivers fall out this year?

Or will Toto Wolff keep the peace like McLaren did?

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Speaking to Gazzetta dello Sport, Rosberg said Mercedes won’t be able to keep the relationship harmonious all year.

“Of course, a clash between the two of them will come,” he said. “We’ve already seen how close they are, and it’s inevitable that it will happen, especially if there’s a chance of winning a title at stake.”

Rosberg and Hamilton came together on track multiple times in the early years of the turbo/hybrid era. After a race-ending tangle at the Spanish GP, Toto Wolff even threatened to fire both drivers for failing to uphold the team’s interests.

Nico Rosberg’s advice to Toto Wolff about managing Mercedes drivers

Rosberg has urged Wolff to be prepared for the ‘inevitable’ fallout. Russell and Hamilton were closely-matched for most of their partnership (2022-24), but the team principal never had to deal with any crises.

“Sit down and talk about it,” Rosberg advised. “When things happen on the track, you have to deal with them off it.

“This is more of a piece of advice for Toto Wolff, who needs to sit down with them, discuss everything, and know in advance how to behave when certain confrontational situations arise.”

• READ MORE: Jolyon Palmer says George Russell is nearing a dangerous point in F1 title race vs Kimi Antonelli

Similar predictions were made about McLaren pair Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri last season. While they collided on two occasions, their relationship appeared to remain healthy all season.

There’s no guarantee that the two Mercedes drivers will be the only title contenders. McLaren in particular are gaining momentum, with Norris putting Antonelli under sustained pressure during Sunday’s race.