In the wake of Silverstone and Monza, Mercedes boss, Toto Wolff fears the 2021 title could yet be decided by a crash.

Though we are unlikely to see a 2008 scenario whereby the title is decided in the final corner on the final lap of the last race of the season, it is entirely possible that the 2021 championship fight will go down to the wire in Abu Dhabi.

Though Helmut Marko claims wins in Mexico and Brazil could see Max Verstappen lift the title, Lewis Hamilton has been there, seen it and worn the T-Shirt.

However, with an eye on events at Silverstone and Monza, as each race sees the odds stacked a little higher, the tension mount a little further, Toto Wolff fears the title could yet be decided by a coming together.

"If it was to come to the scenario of the last race in Abu Dhabi and they were to be racing each other for the title, whoever is in front is absolutely going to try to do the same as in the Senna-Prost years," he tells the Daily Mail.

"What happened in Monza? Verstappen took Lewis out because he was about to overtake and he was quicker. And that is totally understandable," says the Austrian, while omitting to refer to the Silverstone clash which saw Hamilton penalised for causing a collision.

"If you are racing for the championship and you see it fading away because the other guy is overtaking you, what tool have you got other than the one that makes sure he can't overtake? We've seen it with Schumacher and Villeneuve, we saw it with Senna and Prost... twice.

"I would never give the instruction to crash into anyone else," he insists, "but if they go to that last race and whoever is in front wins the championship, they will be racing each other, hard. And I don't think you can control it, Hamilton and Verstappen.

"I don't think you want to control it," he adds, "because they are the gladiators in their machines. That is what makes this sport so interesting, because it is ingrained in our nature that we don't like confrontation and then one is intrigued to see how that relationship unfolds.

"If they crash are they going to confront each other? What are they going to say? Will they look in each other’s eyes? We would not interfere. The relationship is sorted out between the individuals."

However, in the wake of the Italian Grand Prix, Hamilton told ESPN that winning the title due to a tangle with his opponent would be unthinkable.

"There's never ever a question about that," he said. "I would never want to win in that way.

"If that means you don't win at all, at least you have your dignity," he added. "I wouldn't want to win any other way; you always want to win the right way."

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READERS COMMENTS

1. Posted by kenji, 02/11/2021 11:34

"Yes Max...Senna was dirty as he later admitted. That was then this is now!!!"

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2. Posted by Max Noble, 02/11/2021 9:23

"Not like that ever happened in the Senna-Prost days…"

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3. Posted by kenji, 01/11/2021 23:58

"I must admit to enjoying an element of schadenfreude here as Mercedes are going public with their not too subtly camouflaged 'fear'. What that means is that there are internal cracks appearing and they are trying to condition the public response. All this hokum pokum about intentional crashing is just groundwork to try and upset the equilibrium at Red Bull. I doubt that it will have the desired effect. Interesting times ahead for Mercedes.... "

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4. Posted by Tardis40, 01/11/2021 19:10

"Then tell your driver to stop crashing"

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5. Posted by Stitch431, 01/11/2021 18:27

"Looks like they want to repeat Silverstone because they are back in points again... A lot of whining by Mercedes this week ahead of Mexico. Firt Lewis and now Toto. Guys, just go race, and either you beat them fair and square or you lose it fair and square. Sorry, but that's my opinion on this matter."

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6. Posted by Rock Doc, 01/11/2021 14:37

"Wow the Mercs are in overdrive today laying the ground work for losing the championship. It's beginning to feel like the US election all over again. They must really feel they are on the back-foot here.

Maybe they have a plan like their summer plan to take out the opposition literally. Way easier than trying to race them. Just joking mostly.

With 5 races to go there are still a lot of points on offer. If the Mercs and Hamilton hadn't made the mistakes they have so far this year they would be in front. Let's see what the championship looks like after the next 2 races. A few races ago it looked looked bad for Red Bull, now the wheel has turned."

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7. Posted by kenji, 01/11/2021 13:28

"'You always want to win the right way' Yes...right! Silverstone anybody? "

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Wolff fears crash could decide 2021 title

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