George Russell says only one team wouldn’t swap cars with Mercedes for the 2026 Formula 1 season

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Mercedes are widely seen as the favourites for the 2026 Formula 1 titles. George Russell could be in a position to win the world championship for the first time.

F1 engines are changing radically next year – they will now run on sustainable fuels and be around 50% battery-powered. The last time there were changes of this magnitude, Mercedes established a lasting advantage over their competitors.

But there are naturally areas of uncertainty. While Mercedes may have the best ICE next year, that superiority could be offset if another team builds a more efficient battery.

Adrian Newey expects F1 to be an engine formula, but the chassis will still play a role in determining the pecking order. The 2026 cars will be lighter, smaller and, most importantly, feature active aerodynamics – an area where Mercedes’ rivals may seek to claw back lap time.

George Russell says only McLaren are confident of beating Mercedes in 2026

In an interview with The Telegraph, Russell expressed confidence that the Mercedes car looks ‘strong’ for 2026. The Englishman has won two races this year but finds himself nearly 100 points off the pace in the standings, partly due to the limitations of his machinery.

At the start of the turbo/hybrid era, engine customers Williams were one of Mercedes’ biggest rivals. They finished third in the constructors’ in both 2014 and 2015.

And if the Silver Arrows’ engine is indeed clear of the pack, then the biggest threat could come from within. McLaren, champions in the last two seasons, stand out here.

Indeed, Russell says the Woking outfit are the only team who wouldn’t trade places with Mercedes right now. In addition to Williams, Alpine will also buy power units from Toto Wolff, filling the gap left by Aston Martin.

“That’s not just marketing talk,” Russell said of the hype around Mercedes. “I’d probably say potentially the only ones who wouldn’t [swap places] would be the McLaren guys.”

What the F1 paddock is saying about the other engine manufacturers ahead of 2026

Ferrari are expected to be Mercedes’ biggest challengers in the engine department next year. That’s despite losing power unit chief Wolf Zimmerman to Audi.

Intriguingly, rumours suggest Audi have made a breakthrough with their powertrain and are no longer lagging behind. They’re one of two newcomers for 2026, along with Red Bull Powertrains.

A ‘very reliable’ source has told James Allen that Red Bull’s engine will be two-tenths off the pace at first. They will be able to utilise F1’s catch-up rules and their partnership with Ford to close the gap.

That just leaves Honda. Lawrence Stroll is relishing Aston Martin’s transition to a works team, explaining that their car can now be designed around their power unit – an important aerodynamic advantage.