12 years have passed since one of the greatest demonstrations of strength in the history of the Formula 1. At the beginning of the hybrid era, mercedes was able to endorse with his cars (then driven by Lewis Hamilton and Nico Rosberg) seven seconds in two laps after a safety car restart in Bahrain. It was another league and his dominance reached seven drivers’ titles. The new stage of the queen class in 2026 began with a similar aroma, since mercedes command and the rest is a world away. But not everything is as it seems. There will be war.
Antonelli, pole and Russell, second, after qualifying for the Japanese GP.
mercedes It’s not so much. He W17 It is the best concept on the grid since the first time out on the track of the Barcelona test, but the differences are narrowing. Although they are superior both in classification and in the moments where the engine makes a difference, there is greater competitiveness given the performance of Ferrari either McLaren. Not in vain, they set goals to improve during the break until the Miami Grand Prix and they already anticipate that they expected the changes.
Two key points
The other teams are catching up. They now better understand how to generate energy and how to use it
“The other teams are catching up. They now have a better understanding of how to generate energy and how to use it,” he explained. Toto Wolff. The team leader with a German heart is one of those who best measures vocabulary, but on the track it was evident. Piastri touched victory and Russel has lived, both in China as in Japanhow delicate the new regulation is, suffering both a bug when touching two commands at the same time or cash problems.
Wolff focuses his argument on energy. It makes sense, it is the aspect that focuses most of the discussions about the new Formula 1. “They already understand it and Ferrari had the right strategy Japan“, said Wolff. Something that his namesakes in office repeated. “A new championship begins,” they said in Ferrari. “We closed the gap,” they added in McLaren.
Departure from the Japanese GP.
A Russell – Antonelli war?
mercedesIn addition to the technical aspect, he has to deal with that of his pilots. George Russell He started with the full 33 first points out of 33 possible (Australia and the Shanghai sprint), but Kimi Antonelli cut with his victories in China and Japan. Now he is the leader by nine units (72-63) and his war It remembers the one in 2025 between the McLarens. It should be remembered that they were two drivers with no experience in the fight for the title and there was too much interference from a team that opened the door to the resurrection of Max Verstappen.
But in the arrows silver They know how to manage it even though with Toto Wolff, protector of Antonellieverything is possible. It will depend on the pilots first, with Russel to the contrary. “He knows that it is his opportunity and that the advantage he has has been reduced. He has to undermine Antonelli’s confidence, and it has to be done without damaging the image of the team,” said David Coulthard, a star at the beginning of the century.
Russell has to undermine Antonelli’s confidence
Russell and Antonelli, celebrating the first Mercedes line in Australia.
In Miami A season will return whose break does not benefit the best, but it does serve to take note of what has been seen so far. mercedes It is not going as well as it seemed and if they want to return to success their stars will have to respond on the track.
