Lando Norris
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Mercedes’ engine customers have faced difficulties in optimising their power units due to the lack of guidance from the Brixworth-based engineers. However, McLaren and Alpine are still looking at a ‘powerful edge’ thanks to the weight of their respective chassis.
While Mercedes have enjoyed back-to-back one-twos to start the 2026 F1 season, their engine customers haven’t been able to capitalise on the best-in-class power unit.
The reason for this is Mercedes’ unwillingness to aid their customers’ efforts to optimise the engine package. Of course, engineers in Brixworth have sunk vast amounts of resources into the project over the last few years, so they want to reap the rewards of it.
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However, McLaren and Alpine are now reported to have an advantage of their own over the works team, through some breakthroughs that they have made on the chassis sides of things.
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McLaren, Alpine and Audi are the only F1 teams currently at the minimum weight
A recent report by F1 Technical has analysed the weight of each team’s 2026 challenger, and the results paint an interesting picture of the current landscape of the grid.
At the most extreme end of the field is Williams, whose weight issues have been no secret over the past few months. According to the report, the FW48 is 27kg over the minimum, which has led Juan Pablo Montoya to call for Williams to take action against their staff.
On the opposite end of that spectrum are McLaren, Alpine and Audi. Their 2026 F1 cars all fall on the minimum weight of 768kg exactly, which gives them a ‘subtle but powerful edge’ over their rivals in several key areas.
This includes full freedom of utilising a ballast when it comes to car set-ups. A ballast allows F1 engineers to strategically place weight within the chassis to improve the overall balance of the car, which will, in turn, aid tyre wear and handling characteristics.
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Red Bull are also struggling on the weight front like Williams, albeit not as extreme. The RB22 is currently 16kg above the weight limit, while Racing Bulls sits 14kg over the threshold, one kilogram heavier than Aston Martin’s troublesome AMR26.
Despite being the benchmark team in terms of performance, Mercedes still have areas for improvement, as the W17 currently comes in at 772kg, four kilograms over the stipulated minimum weight. Upgrades will likely chip away at this figure as the season ensues.
While Cadillac boast the same weight as the Silver Arrows, their engine supplier, Ferrari, sits even closer to the minimum weight threshold at 770kg. The ‘well-balanced’ approach has been matched by Haas, who have claimed some impressive results so far in 2026.
McLaren sacrificed downforce to prioritise less weight on their 2026 F1 car
The reason for the British constructor’s advantage in this area stems from their decision to sacrifice downforce during the early stages of development.
Ahead of the season-opener in Melbourne, it was suggested that McLaren shortened the wheelbase of the MCL40 to allow for a more agile car. This means that engineers found no issue in getting the car down to the minimum weight, despite some lapses in overall downforce.
Team principal Andrea Stella has also voiced his frustrations with Mercedes’ lack of guidance on the new power unit. However, with the MCL40 already on a solid foundation, the Woking-based outfit are expected to improve exponentially as the season continues.
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