Lando Norris
McLaren
Mercedes
Red Bull
Ferrari
Williams
Racing Bulls
Aston Martin
Haas
Alpine
McLaren dominated the 2025 Formula 1 season as they claimed the drivers’ and constructors’ championship, but 2026 could be a different story.
The Woking outfit finished 2025 with 800 points, wrapping up the constructors’ title in Singapore. The drivers’ championship went to the final round in Abu Dhabi, where Lando Norris triumphed over Max Verstappen by just two points.
What was your favourite moment from Lando Norris’ 2025 F1 title-winning season?
With 14 wins out of 24 races, McLaren were the dominant force in 2025 and will be looking to continue the momentum in 2026. But the new regulation changes could throw the pecking order into disarray.
Teams have been frantically preparing their cars and power units behind the scenes, with no one truly knowing where they, or their rivals, stand in 2026. But rumours have already suggested that one team is ahead of the curve.
Timo Glock predicts Mercedes to be ‘one step ahead’ of McLaren in 2026
Rumours in the paddock suggest that Mercedes will have the advantage in 2026. The Silver Arrows are believed to have built the fastest engine, which will also benefit customer teams McLaren, Williams and Alpine.
George Russell claims McLaren would not swap cars with Mercedes in 2026, as he sees them as the team to beat. However, Timo Glock is backing the Brackley outfit to be ahead of their rivals, and that Russell is best positioned for the championship.
“At the moment, my gut feeling tells me that Mercedes is probably a step ahead because they were able to focus on ‘26 earlier,” he said via Formel1.de.
| TEAM | ENGINE |
| Red Bull | Red Bull Powertrains (in partnership with Ford) |
| Ferrari | Ferrari |
| McLaren | Mercedes |
| Mercedes | Mercedes |
| Aston Martin | Honda |
| Racing Bulls | Red Bull Powertrains (in partnership with Ford) |
| Haas | Ferrari |
| Williams | Mercedes |
| Alpine | Mercedes |
| Audi | Audi |
| Cadillac | Ferrari |
“I think McLaren probably has more time, even though they stopped development early on due to their lead, but if you’re in the fight for the world championship, I think it’s logical that the focus is more on that fight.
“But the teams have grown so big now that you can’t have a whole team working on ‘26 at the same time. I’ll just say that my gut feeling tells me that with the rule changes, Mercedes will be one step ahead.”
Asked if Russell will be world champion, Glock replied: “We’ll have to wait and see, or Kimi Antonelli will have to take a look, but yes, George Russell would of course be the one in the good position at the moment with his experience.”
READ MORE: All you need to know about Mercedes F1 Team from team principal to lineage
What are people saying about Mercedes’ 2026 car and their title chances?
Mercedes have tried to downplay their advantage in 2026. But the general feeling is that they might be ahead with next season’s regulations, and their rivals already know it.
Red Bull chief Ben Hodgkinson says Mercedes have a ‘very large advantage’ with development, as they were able to begin testing earlier than they were. If they do have the fastest engine in 2026, Russell and Antonelli could be in a position to win the championship.
Will George Russell win the 2026 F1 drivers’ title?
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Jenson Button backs Russell to fight McLaren for the championship in 2026. He proved his credentials as one of F1’s strongest drivers in 2025, winning two races and finishing four in the standings.
Fresh off his best season to date, the Brit will be eager to battle Norris and Oscar Piastri for the title. Whether the rumours about Mercedes’ engines are true or not is another question, but everyone will get a rough idea during pre-season testing.
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