Mercedes customers very ‘concerned’ that ‘serious’ engine issue awaits them at Austrian Grand Prix

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Mercedes customer teams are reportedly ‘concerned’ that a ‘serious’ engine problem could impact them at the Austrian Grand Prix.

This weekend, the 2026 Formula 1 campaign resumes around the Red Bull Ring, with the Austrian Grand Prix taking centre stage.

Heading into the event, Lewis Hamilton is looking for back-to-back wins after securing his first victory for Ferrari in Barcelona. 

Meanwhile, Mercedes are hoping to bounce back after being beaten in a Grand Prix for the first time this season. The Silver Arrows also head to Austria with problems of their own, following their power unit reliability issues that have hampered both George Russell and Kimi Antonelli. 

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Mercedes power unit reliability issues leave customer teams ‘concerned’

Ahead of the weekend, it has been claimed that Mercedes’ recent reliability problems have made their customer teams very ‘concerned’.

As reported by Italian news outlet Moto.It, the expected heat in Austria could be ‘damaging’ for Mercedes’ power units, especially the battery component, which has already been hit by ‘serious reliability issues’. 

It has been noted that although they have managed to identify the cause of the issues, they will not be able to solve them until they bring in new batteries later on in the campaign.

The report stated that Austria’s high altitude and weather warnings could cause power units to overheat, increasing the likelihood of a potential retirement.

As a result, it is believed that Mercedes’ customer teams are ‘particularly concerned’ ahead of the Grand Prix.

READ MORE: Austrian Grand Prix predictions as F1 experts decide if Lewis Hamilton win makes him title favourite

Having already faced ‘challenges’ when integrating the engine with the chassis, teams that use a Mercedes power unit could now be wondering whether they will be able to get through the entire weekend without an issue.

Amid their ongoing issues, it was recently claimed that Mercedes could turn down their engine in Austria to prevent any potential retirements.

On the 2026 grid, Mercedes provide power units to teams like McLaren, Alpine and Williams.

So far this season, McLaren have been impacted by the Mercedes power unit, with Oscar Piastri and Lando Norris both failing to take part in the Chinese Grand Prix due to an electrical failure. 

Meanwhile, Norris’ power unit gave up on Lap 45 of the Monaco Grand Prix, ending the reigning world champion’s race.