Damon Hill feels ‘ridiculously reliable’ driver has a great chance to win his first F1 title in 2026

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Formula 1 could crown a new champion in Lando Norris or Oscar Piastri in 2025, and Damon Hill is also backing another fresh face to contend for the drivers’ title in 2026.

McLaren’s Norris and Piastri top the F1 drivers’ championship with three rounds of the 2025 season left, with the Briton leading the Australian by 24 points. Red Bull’s Max Verstappen is the only driver still in contention with a title already to his name, but he sits 49 points adrift.

Verstappen is also the most recent driver to win their debut title, having sealed the crown in each of the past four years. F1 has not crowned a new champion in back-to-back years since Jenson Button won the 2009 title for Brawn and Sebastian Vettel won it for Red Bull in 2010.

Damon Hill thinks George Russell could win his first F1 title with Mercedes’ 2026 rules engine

Hill would not be surprised to see Mercedes star George Russell win his first title during the 2026 F1 season, though. The Silver Arrows are widely expected to return to the front of the field next year thanks to the 2026 F1 regulations, with their engine expected to be the best.

READ MORE: Everything you need to know about the 2026 F1 engine and aero regulations

Mercedes have not contended for a drivers’ title since Verstappen beat Lewis Hamilton by a mere eight points to win the 2021 championship. The Brackley natives also won their last F1 constructors’ championship in 2021, as they have never thrived in the ground-effect car era.

Hill told Pit Lane Chronicle: “I think George is someone who gets lost somewhere in the mix. He shouldn’t do, he’s been ridiculously reliable and delivering results all year long, and he’s definitely mature enough to cope with it all.

“He’s a smart, I was going to say kid, but he’s not a kid really. Smart young man. And if they get things right at Mercedes for ‘26, he could be looking at a title.

“Definitely, Lando is going to have his work cut out I think with Mercedes next year. Everything is up in the air a bit. I haven’t asked them this directly yet, but I think they’re quietly confident for next year. I think they’re going to be good.”

George Russell is confident in the potential of Mercedes’ 2026 F1 rules car

Mercedes’ engine for the 2026 F1 regulations has long been seen as the power unit to beat, given how they dominated with the 1.6L V6 turbo-hybrids introduced in 2014. But next year will also deliver new chassis and tyre regulations, plus active aerodynamics for the first time.

READ MORE: Everything you need to know about Alpine’s 2026 Mercedes F1 engine deal

Russell has tried to play down Mercedes’ 2026 engine being the best, but his efforts have so far done little to silence the suggestions. Also, even Russell believes only McLaren would not swap their 2026 F1 rules car with Mercedes, as they will also have the Silver Arrows’ engine.

McLaren and Williams are long-time Mercedes engine customers, but the Silver Arrows will also supply another team next year. Alpine will stop fielding factory Renault engines and buy Mercedes power units from 2026, after Renault decided to close the brand’s engine division.

Having four teams on the grid using their power unit will help Mercedes should they hit any snags with their 2026 engine during pre-season testing and beyond. So, Russell will have to hope that Mercedes will also perfect the highly-complicated new aerodynamic regulations.