Gloves off in Red Bull, Merc duel

MERCEDES team chief Toto Wolff may have seen his world champion team claim victory in the season-opening Austrian Grand Prix, but he still insists the “gloves are off” when the duel for supremacy with rivals Red Bull resumes on Sunday.

Valtteri Bottas gave Mercedes a pole-to-flag win at the Red Bull Ring last weekend as the 2020 championship roared into life.

However, teammate and world champion Lewis Hamilton was fourth after facing two protests from Red Bull on the eve of the race over his qualifying tactics.

Hamilton was relegated from second to fifth on the grid before a late collision with Red Bull’s Alex Albon torpedoed his hopes of a podium, despite finishing second on the track.

“We were lucky to finish the race and reliability is a real concern. We are working it as our highest priority,” Wolff said.

But, stung by the daily protests from Red Bull, he warned rival team chief Christian Horner and his team: “It’s serious now. Gloves off. No more nice stuff — we are in a real fight to win.”