'Go watch Teletubbies': Toto Wolff rages at "brainless" Mercedes conspiracy theorists

Toto Wolff has hit out at “brainless” conspiracy theorists who believe Mercedes is favouring Andrea Kimi Antonelli in the 2026 Formula 1 title fight. 

Antonelli leads Russell by 84 points and is the runaway championship leader heading into the final seven scheduled races this season, with the 20-year-old Italian appearing destined to become F1’s youngest-ever world champion. 

Aspects of Mercedes’ decision-making, and a run of technical failures on Russell’s side of the garage, have led some people to suggest that the Silver Arrows is favouring Antonelli over the Briton in the championship battle. 

Speaking ahead of last weekend’s Bahrain Grand Prix in Malaysia, Martin Brundle even said his “gut” tells him Mercedes would prefer Antonelli to win the title over Russell. 

But at the Singapore Grand Prix, Wolff had a clear response to the doubters, telling them: “They're brainless, whoever thinks that. It's completely nonsensical. 

“We've had it in the past with Lewis fans. I literally know what's going on. Do they think I have a button that says "George engine failure now”, or disadvantage one driver against the other when we're fighting for Constructors' Championship, and when we've always had the mindset of providing everybody equal material?

“But I guess this is maybe where social media goes today. People hide behind their screens and then they they lash out. There's a lot of polarisation going on. Sometimes I read what people write, I find it hilarious. These people really contribute to my own entertainment when they are abusing the team or myself. I'm Satan I've heard, so yeah, overall, funny.” 

Wolff added: “Zero understanding and respect for people who come up with these things. Rather than watching Formula 1, they should do Teletubbies, or I don’t know some Mickey Mouses.”

Russell will start this weekend’s race from the back of the grid after exceeding his engine allocation for the year following his heartbreaking retirement in the closing stages at Sepang. 

The 28-year-old, who came into the season as the clear title favourite, is also running the old Mercedes package, with Antonelli having the latest W17, as the Silver Arrows carries out a back-to-back comparison in Singapore amid doubts over its latest upgrade. 

Russell was fastest in the sole practice session in Singapore despite being in the 'downgraded' Mercedes. 

“We have had Kimi since he was 11. He's a integral part of the team. It is very nice to see him grow, be in a position now that he's fighting for a championship at such a young age, the talent he has,” Wolff continued. 

“Then on the other side, George, who's been with us since he was 17, someone that I feel a lot of emotions for and compassion. We are very close. We're spending time with with Carmen and Susie off the track with each other. If people would see that, we're traveling together, we're having coffee in the same coffee shop, we're going in the gym. 

“That's why it's pretty annoying to have some lunatics that have no understanding really about how relationships work coming up with these kind of accusations. So I don't pay any attention to this. 

“Most important is that George knows how the team is, and Kimi knows, and we will always try to give them equal opportunity. 

“When it comes to the upgrade, it's a good example. We don't know which one is going to be quicker, and so you take a decision and say, "Let's let's try to find out,”. There is no great political thinking behind it. 

"When it comes to the racing, like the Papaya rules, we've always been very clear that we're not getting standing in each other's way. We don't like the yo-yo racing that could cost a position if someone is close to us, and the quicker car if it's behind is going to always going to have an advantage, and that could go either direction. Doesn't matter.

“Even if it is now that it's more realistic for Kimi to win a championship in sheer mathematical probability, we would still give George the the same opportunities, and that's important. 

“That’s the ethos and the integrity on which the team has operated since 2013, since I came, and we are going to stick to that, and then people can think what they want.”