‘Tough calls need to be done’ - Toto Wolff stands by Mercedes F1 team orders

Toto Wolff has explained Mercedes’ decision to swap positions between its Formula 1 drivers at the end of the Dutch Grand Prix. 

George Russell was ordered to let team-mate - and direct title rival - Andrea Kimi Antonelli through in the final laps of F1’s final race at Zandvoort. 

Antonelli got ahead of Russell at the original start but lost track position to his team-mate when Mercedes took advantage of a late-race virtual safety car to switch him onto soft tyres. 

With Russell staying out on older hards, Antonelli was clearly the faster Mercedes driver and soon caught the back of the Briton. Mercedes took charge of the situation by ordering Russell aside. 

After some initial hesitation, Russell obliged by letting Antonelli through. As a result, he lost three points to the 19-year-old Italian, who has stretched his championship advantage up to 59 points. 

Mercedes team principal Wolff explained the German manufacturer’s rationale behind the call after the race. 

"I don't think Norris was anywhere near of catching,” Wolff told Sky Sports F1. 

”It was just the safest way in terms of scoring points. You could have played maybe leaving him in the Overtake Mode and then again you are risking too much, you have two Ferraris all over you.

"So it was some tough calls but they need to be done when you want to fight for constructor and driver championship.

"This is how we are operating. Both drivers know that. We avoid situations like some other teams where it's not clearly talked like this.

"This is harsh times, there's 2,500 people who work for championships, and it's not one man's game. That's how we operate it the last 15 years."

Asked if it was a difficult call to make, Wolff replied: "That looks difficult on the outside but not on the inside. 

"It's a situation we discussed very often, also today in the morning 'we're not going to lose time fighting with each other and have two Ferraris breathing down our neck. 

"So it would have been the other way around exactly the same. It plays no role who is ahead in the championship or not, it's just about protecting the best possible positions.”

Russell, who fended off old team-mate Lewis Hamilton to claim the final spot on the podium in third, ultimately conceded Mercedes’ decision was the right one. 

"Kimi was ahead of me anyway, so he deserved to finish ahead," Russell said. 

"When you're in the race, you want to fight for every single position. But with the pace, with the new tyre, he would have overtaken anyway, so it was the right decision. 

“I'm just happy to be standing on the podium. It's been a little while for me. It's been a strong weekend overall, so I'll take the positives.”

Antonelli, meanwhile, credited Russell for being a “great team player”. 

"George was a great team player and really happy for him to have held on to P3 as well,” Antonelli said.