Mercedes to rein in drivers?

Toto Wolff concerned about the fierce intra-team at Mercedes.

See this AR1 Hot News item. Mercedes boss Toto Wolff has expressed concern that the intra-team battle between Nico Rosberg and Lewis Hamilton is hurting the overall team effort. While Rosberg managed to lead a 1-2 finish this weekend in Austria, the team failed to earn pole position for the first time this season. Further, the gap between Mercedes and the rest of the field has closed over the last three Grand Prixs, after Hamilton captured victory in the Spanish Grand Prix by 50 seconds.

Wolff noted that it might behoove the team to focus more on keeping opponents at bay, and wrapping up the Constructors' Championship before allowing the team's drivers to have at it.

Will we see Mercedes take measures to manage their drivers? Could said measures further affect a season that many in F1 have deemed boring? If the team tries to rein in its drivers, will the already somewhat frosty relationship between Rosberg and Hamilton further deteriorate? What will be the reaction of the drivers to any such team orders?

The best battle in F1 this year has been within team Mercedes. But has the battle been too good for team boss Tot Wolff?

Clearly, there are more questions than answers at this moment. However, with Rosberg now 29 points ahead of the more highly regarded Hamilton, and Mercedes' opponents slowly closing the gap, Wolff realizes he may have a situation to manage over the second half of 2014. How exactly, will it play out?

AR1 Staff