Mercedes chief makes promise to George Russell and Kimi Antonelli amid ‘big question’ over 2026 engine

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Mercedes are set for exciting changes as Formula 1 moves towards a new era with the 2026 regulations and new cars.

The Silver Arrows are yet to confirm their driver line-up for next season, having been linked with four-time champion Max Verstappen for most of 2025. However, with the Dutchman committing his future to Red Bull for 2026, Toto Wolff seems certain to retain his current drivers.

George Russell is set to sign a new contract with Mercedes, but he has stated that it is unlikely that it will happen over the summer break. Teammate Kimi Antonelli is also poised to stay with the Brackley outfit, having shown flashes of his talent in 2025.

Mercedes look certain to fight Ferrari and Red Bull for second in the constructors’ championship this season, with McLaren already over 300 points ahead of them. The team will be looking at the 2026 F1 regulations as an opportunity to return to the top.

The Silver Arrows enjoyed incredible dominance during the turbo hybrid era, and there is similar excitement coming from the team about next season. Mercedes are tipped to have the fastest engine in 2026, but there are some doubts surrounding that claim.

Mercedes chief Hywel Thomas promises George Russell and Kimi Antonelli they will not have turbo lag with 2026 engine

Next season’s regulations will see the biggest changes to F1 in its history as the sport moves towards sustainability, with a 50/50 split between internal combustion and electrical power for the engine. No one knows where either team is for 2026, but rumours suggest Mercedes are on top.

However, as Auto Motor und Sport reports, there is a ‘big question’ hanging over them, as the new regulations will see the removal of the MGU-H (Motor Generator Unit – Heat).

In the turbo hybrid engines, the component keeps the turbocharger spinning even when there is not enough exhaust gas to do so, thus preventing turbo lag. With the MGU-H being removed from 2026 onwards, the MGU-K will have to transfer ‘almost half of the total power to the crankshaft’.

This equates to 350kW of power, which has created concerns about the drivability of next year’s engine. But Mercedes chief Hywel Thomas, who has been responsible for Mercedes’ engine development since 2020, says drivers will not experience turbo lag.

He said: “We have this incredible 350-kilowatt electric motor that can fill any gap. However, electrical energy is a limited resource. So we are trying to improve the response in other ways.”

Thomas is not giving away ‘exact performance figures’ for the Mercedes power unit. He says that ‘the maximum power output that drivers can call upon at the start of the straight is expected to be at a similar level to that of the current engines’, but there may be some difficulties early on.

He added: “Whenever large parts of the regulations change, there is a risk of reliability problems. Currently, durability is very good across the field. The next V6 is not dramatically different from what we have now. Nevertheless, I fear that we will still experience some drama at the beginning of next year.”

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Max Verstappen has doubts over Mercedes power unit in 2026

Russell and Antonelli will be hoping that the speculation surrounding Mercedes’ engine next season translates to performance on the track. The former has claimed a win for the team in Canada in 2025, while his teammate has been struggling in recent races, with one point in the last four events.

Antonelli was ‘extremely happy’ in Hungary after Mercedes reverted to their old rear suspension, as the new update had destroyed his confidence. This change, along with a new contract that is rumoured to land, will put him in good standing for 2026, but there are still concerns.

Verstappen has doubts over the battery in 2026; thus, he is sceptical of the claim that Mercedes have the best engine. Verstappen was proved right when it emerged on the ‘grapevine’ that while the Silver Arrows may have the best ICE, that does not mean they have the advantage with the battery.

Ultimately, no one will know for sure where the teams are until their machines hit the track next season. Mercedes will be desperate to return to the top after a drop in performance in the ground effect era.