Eddie Irvine is convinced that the internal battle at Mercedes will inevitably escalate as the 2026 championship fight develops, with Kimi Antonelli and George Russell already emerging as two of the main contenders.

After the opening phase of the season, Antonelli holds a narrow advantage over his team-mate. The Italian’s victories in China and Japan have given him a small but important edge, leaving Russell just nine points behind in the standings.

With both drivers delivering consistently strong performances and the Mercedes package setting the benchmark early on, the fight is expected to intensify as the season progresses.

Irvine believes the situation inside the team will become increasingly difficult to manage, especially with both drivers having a realistic chance of fighting for the title.

Asked whether the rivalry could turn into open conflict, he told Gazzetta dello Sport: “I’m 100 per cent sure. The stakes are too high and the drivers are very closely matched, so Toto Wolff can’t step in with team orders.”

According to Irvine, Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff is no stranger to managing high-pressure situations between his drivers, having already overseen some of the most intense rivalries in recent Formula 1 history.

“He’s already been through very tense situations, first when Lewis Hamilton was battling Nico Rosberg and then with Max Verstappen. In that case there was a big crash at Silverstone. I think the seven-time world champion, who is one of the cleanest drivers in history, was frustrated because the Dutchman was behaving like a bully,” Irvine concluded.

As the championship battle continues to take shape, the dynamic between Antonelli and Russell is likely to become one of the defining storylines of the season, with Mercedes facing a familiar challenge of balancing two drivers fighting for the same goal.