The Three-Pointed Star dominates, yet McLaren is pushing back: the battle for the 2026 World Championship has only just begun, and Woking – along with other teams – has no intention of giving up.
Three Grand Prix, three victories. Mercedes kicked off the 2026 season with seemingly uncontested dominance, adding the Chinese Sprint race win to their collection. Yet, slowly, something is shifting.
In Japan, for the first time, the Silver Arrows did not complete a one-two finish: Oscar Piastri inserted himself between Kimi Antonelli and George Russell, and that second place carries far more significance than the standings suggest.
F1 2026: a challenging start for McLaren
McLaren’s season began in the worst possible way. In China, both cars remained in the garage before the start due to electrical issues, leaving the team empty-handed. In Melbourne, Piastri qualified more than eight-tenths off Russell’s pace—a huge gap in F1 terms. The reigning champions seemed unreachable.
But things move fast in the Formula 1 circus. In China, the gap had already dropped below half a second, with Antonelli securing pole. In Japan, less than four-tenths separated the two teams. The direction is clear: the deficit is shrinking as Woking better understands the power unit and continues to refine the MCL40.
Piastri: “Mercedes is beatable”
At Suzuka, Oscar Piastri left no room for interpretation. When asked directly if the Silver Arrows could be beaten this season, his answer was blunt: “Yes.”
The Australian elaborated with his characteristic clarity: “We know from last year that even when you have the best car, you need to drive at an incredibly high level. And today, I think we did that very well.”
There’s more. Oscar Piastri kept Russell behind for a significant portion of the race, even gaining a small margin toward the end of the first stint after overtaking both Mercedes at the start. “Being able to hold George back for so long was really encouraging,” he admitted after the race.
Positive signs for Ferrari too
The Japanese result doesn’t just bring good news for Woking. Ferrari, which had been Mercedes’ closest pursuer up to Suzuka—in both Australia and China—can also take useful insights: as McLaren closes in, the front group is tightening, and the championship is far from decided.
McLaren believes it knows how to recover
Piastri kept a level head: “We’re not getting carried away. We did everything well this weekend and were still beaten by 15 seconds. We have a big gap to close.”
However, recent history offers cautious optimism. In 2024, McLaren started the season as the fourth team, behind Red Bull, Ferrari, and Mercedes. A major development package unveiled in Austria flipped the balance: four wins in the next six races from Zandvoort onward, culminating in the first Constructors’ Championship since 1998. In 2025, growth continued enough to challenge Verstappen’s Red Bull and win both titles.
Another factor shouldn’t be underestimated: McLaren uses a Mercedes engine. If Woking can extract its maximum potential—the same power driving Russell and Antonelli—the Silver Arrows might soon face a revitalized version of themselves.
“I’m confident we can get there,” Oscar Piastri concluded. “But we still have work to do.” The 2026 World Championship has only just begun and promises a fierce battle. In less than a month, in Miami, we’ll see whether Mercedes’ throne remains secure.
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