Toto Wolff expects Mercedes to face a much tougher challenge at the Madrid Grand Prix after leaving Monza with a dominant one-two finish. Kimi Antonelli won his home race despite starting 19th following a power unit change, while George Russell’s second place completed a maximum result for Mercedes in Italy. Madring, however, has characteristics closer to Budapest and Zandvoort, where McLaren proved particularly strong.
The Italian Grand Prix could hardly have ended better for Mercedes. Championship leader Kimi Antonelli recovered from the back of the grid to take victory at Monza, with George Russell following him home in second place and giving the team the biggest possible points haul from Sunday’s race.
Toto Wolff praises Mercedes after dominant Monza weekend
Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff was delighted with the performance before quickly turning his attention towards Formula 1’s new challenge in Spain.
“At Monza we had one of our best weekends,” Toto Wolff said. “We achieved a significant result for the two groups working at Brixworth and Brackley. The team worked extremely well, the drivers did everything they could and we maximised our package.”
The result represented an emphatic response after more difficult races earlier in the season. Mercedes had encountered a considerably tougher contest at Zandvoort, where its late-race strategy involving Kimi Antonelli and George Russell became a major talking point.
Mercedes expects a much closer fight at the Madrid GP
There will be little time for Mercedes to celebrate Antonelli’s Italian success. The championship now moves to Madrid and the completely new Madring circuit, where Wolff believes the competitive picture could look very different.
“The new circuit in Madrid represents a completely different challenge. The track is more similar to Budapest and Zandvoort, so we expect a very closely fought weekend,” Mercedes stated in its pre-event communication.
That comparison is particularly relevant because McLaren was extremely competitive at both circuits. Reigning World Champion Lando Norris claimed pole position and victory in Hungary before repeating the same combination at Zandvoort, highlighting how effective the McLaren package has been on this type of circuit.
The trend provides Mercedes with a clear reason for caution. While the W17 excelled at high-speed Monza, the Madrid layout could create a much tighter contest with McLaren and the other leading teams.
New Madring circuit creates opportunities for every F1 team
There is inevitably uncertainty because no team has previously raced at Madring. That lack of real-world Formula 1 data means Friday practice will be particularly important as teams attempt to understand grip levels, tyre behaviour and the demands of the new circuit.
Despite his caution, Toto Wolff also sees that uncertainty as an opportunity.
“New circuits always create opportunities for everyone.”
Madrid should be no different, with every team beginning the weekend from a much less established knowledge base than at traditional Formula 1 venues. The Spanish capital is one of the major additions to the 2026 Formula 1 calendar.
Toto Wolff welcomes Formula 1’s arrival in Madrid
Wolff also praised Madrid and Formula 1 for putting together an international event of this scale, viewing the championship’s arrival in the Spanish capital as further evidence of the sport’s global momentum.
“The fact that an iconic capital like Madrid wants to join the calendar shows the strength of our sport and the momentum we continue to build around the world,” the Mercedes team principal concluded.
Mercedes therefore arrives in Spain with considerable momentum but no expectation that its Monza advantage will automatically carry over. Antonelli and Russell maximised the W17’s strengths in Italy; Madring will now reveal how effectively Mercedes can adapt when the demands change completely.
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