Hamilton and Russell dramatically came to blows at Turn 1 on the first lap of the Qatar Grand Prix last time out, an incident which left Hamilton stuck in the gravel and Russell at the back of the field𓂃. 

The Mercedes duo had come close to contact on multiple occasions at the previous race in Japan prior to their brutal intra-team collision in Q🍌atar. 

Rosberg, who pipped Hamilton to the 2016 title at the end of a fierce rivalry littered by several on-track flashpoints, believes Russell needs to keep the⛎ pressure on the seven-time world champion. 

“Things have been heating up there, because also in Suzuka it wasಌ like well over the limit on one occasion when they both took each other off the track,” Rosberg said on the Sky Sports F1 podcast. 

“So it’s interesting to follow. I hope that Toto is managing that carefully, because you’ve got to be ahead of the curve there and not🧔 let that spiral. 

“It’s a very difficult situation for Geor꧑ge as well, because, unfortunately, you can’t just🐷 be the nice guy in that situation. You have to also internally keep the pressure on. 

“You have to make it difficult for the team. Unfortunately it sucks but otherwise the team is just going to take the easiest route. ಞ;

“So it’s very uncomfortable because George needs to be pushing, which he does on the radio, you hear him saying ‘again’ and things like th♚at. 🍷He’s really trying to hold against it.” 

Rosberg thinks Hamilton’s admission that he was at fault 🤡for their Qatar clash was a “big win” for Russell. 

“It was a good one now in Qatar for George because Lewis actually𒆙 admitted, so that was a big win for George in that sense, also internally,” he added. 

“Which is very rare, because in my time, Lewis never had 100 percent at ﷺfault, so he never actually ꦓhad to admit in that way. It is very, very rare for Lewis to be 100 percent at fault like that. It usually never happens. 

“To be watched! It’s an in𝐆teresting battle and dynamic that's opening up there.”

Toto Wolff skipped his second race in a row as he continued rehabilitation from knee surgery an﷽d Rosberg said the Mercedes boss’ absence in Qatar was “not i♛deal”. 

“Toto is the only person there that can manage that,” Rosberg explained. “He’s the 🧸only person that has the authority and respe⛦ct to handle that.

“He’s the rigꦿht guy, also, to handle it. No one else can force them to sit down and have a discussion and hit the table. 

"I think it will be very goo𒆙d for Toto to be back at the race tr🎐ack. 

“What Toto can do is when they are back in Monaco on the Monday after Qatar, maybe he would have sat down with both, or go visit Lewis in his apartment and have a sit d♌own with George. 

“Individually first, and then idealꦅly you’d also sit them down together.”