Mercedes is far from satisfied. The European races of the F1 season have brought little luck to the Brackley-based team, which is facing difficulties that go beyond on-track results. The W16 had a strong start, so much so that in the opening rounds of the championship, Russell seemed to be McLaren’s main rival, even contending positions with Verstappen. Then something broke down, and the performance swings that have characterized the German wing cars since 2022 returned.
George Russell not completely calm, Kimi Antonelli growing
One issue is beginning to weigh heavily. It concerns the driver who inherited the seat of the seven-time world champion now at Ferrari: Lewis Hamilton. That same Russell who had to wait three seasons at Williams to convince the team he was superior to Valtteri Bottas. Today, in his fourth championship with the Brackley outfit, the long-anticipated contract renewal still hasn’t arrived. Toto Wolff assures everything is under control.
According to the Austrian, the matter has been discussed and George’s future is not at risk. However, the extended timeline without any apparent reason raises some doubts. There could be a reason. It’s no secret that Wolff holds deep admiration for Max Verstappen. The Austrian has been courting him for some time, and this may be the right moment to make a move, taking advantage of the internal tensions at Red Bull.
Naturally, Russell can’t be fully at ease. A situation like this certainly doesn’t help him mentally or in terms of performance. Verstappen’s salary is considered an insurmountable obstacle. It is undoubtedly an astronomical figure. But if the conditions were right to make such a move, it’s fair to think Mercedes would find a way to make the numbers work despite the massive investment.
Then there’s Antonelli. The Italian talent has class to spare and an impressive natural speed, but in many ways he’s still in a phase of growth. His performances can be excellent, but they remain fragile. Greater consistency is needed, and the experience that will inevitably bring him to the next level as the season progresses. Nine races are too few to expect more, and the Bologna native is still doing a fine job.
Mercedes power unit: reliability in question
It’s no secret: the Mercedes power unit has problems. This was also admitted by James Allison, former Ferrari technician and now a technical reference at Brackley. And it’s not just the works team: customers like Williams and Aston Martin have also reported reliability issues. The multiple failures in recent races have triggered an unexpected alarm. The cause of these recent breakdowns remains to be understood.
Some suggest the problems stem from less rigorous quality control, since much of the technical department is already focused on the new engine regulations set to take effect in 2026. However, this theory doesn’t entirely hold. The only area of intervention allowed on the current engines, frozen for some time, is quality control, which should remain a top priority.
A more plausible explanation is that the software managing certain power unit components has been pushed beyond safe limits in a clear attempt to extract more performance. It’s just a supposition, but it fuels curiosity about the explanations Mercedes will provide during the Canadian GP weekend. A circuit where power and engine efficiency make a real difference in lap times.
Mercedes in search of stability
Now it’s time to regroup. To find the technical and mental stability necessary to perform at the highest level in every Grand Prix. From a design perspective, the W16 is not inferior to the Ferrari SF-25 or the Red Bull RB21. That’s why second place in the Constructors’ Championship is far from unreachable. And that’s exactly the target set by the multiple world champion team.
In support of this ambition, there are two key situations pushing Toto Wolff’s team to keep fighting. The Milton Keynes squad has effectively been racing with one and a half drivers since the beginning of the championship, while the Maranello team is still grappling with a long list of unresolved issues. Problems that don’t appear easy to fix. That’s another reason Mercedes still believes.
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