The Mercedes advantage
Before the start of the season, the hope was that Mercedes’ customer teams could at least leverage the Brixworth power unit to keep pace with the Silver Arrows and produce competitive races. So far, that hasn’t been the case, and it’s not just the W17 chassis superiority that explains it. McLaren, for example, feels behind even in energy management, despite using the same software developed at Brixworth. The reason is that the system does not work autonomously; it is up to each team to operate it effectively.
Similar to artificial intelligence, the effectiveness of energy management software depends on the operations it is asked to perform and the information available to it. Understanding all the sensitivities of the power unit is crucial – how it behaves in different operating conditions, the optimal engine regimes, and how to manage battery charge and discharge cycles for maximum efficiency. Mercedes has an advantage over customer teams here, having developed the power unit themselves and therefore knowing it intimately.
The situation is different for customer teams, who are discovering the Brixworth power unit directly on track. As Andrea Stella explained: “In every single session, we have learned a bit more about how the power unit works, which is very complicated. The complexity mainly comes from sensitivities to small variations, which can result in large differences in speed and lap times. Looking at the GPS traces, you can see very different speed profiles between two drivers from the same team or even from one lap to the next for the same driver. You need to understand what causes these sensitivities, and in doing so, you also need to figure out which tools to use.”
The importance of simulation
Mercedes’ superiority comes from its deep understanding of the full package. With more data available, the software can plan energy management strategies more effectively, taking into account all the variables that customer teams are only gradually learning. Much also depends on simulation tools and techniques. Naturally, greater knowledge of the power unit allows more accurate simulation, producing energy strategies that are closer to reality. Customer teams can dedicate themselves to this work only with internal resources, reallocating personnel who previously had other responsibilities and staying within the budget cap. Mercedes, as the engine supplier, can also use staff counted under the PU cost cap, giving them an additional advantage.
Customer teams are now working to close a knowledge and preparation gap, a task that inevitably takes time. At McLaren, initial progress was already visible between Melbourne and Shanghai, as Andrea Stella noted: “We have learned in every session and at every event. We are in a better position than we were in Australia. […] I think we are now able to extract more performance from the power unit.”
Other differences
Mercedes’ superior energy management compared to customer teams also comes from technical choices. Toto Wolff noted, for example, that McLaren uses different gearbox ratios, which causes the internal combustion engine to operate at different regimes, spending and recovering electrical energy differently. Often, however, the most important factors are those left unspoken. No one has mentioned braking systems, which also influence how effectively the battery can be recharged during braking. Behind the scenes, teams are already working to replicate competitors’ solutions, although suppliers urge caution and advise against hasty modifications.
The 2026 season is therefore proving that in the modern era of Formula 1, having the best “heart” in the car is only half the battle. Success now depends on the digital brain’s ability to sync perfectly with the mechanical body—a process where the Mercedes works team currently holds all the keys. As the season progresses, the ability of McLaren and others to decode the Brixworth “black box” will define their championship ambitions.
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