Russell: Engine strength alone won’t see Mercedes prevail in 2026

George Russell has cooled the hype surrounding Mercedes’ prospects under Formula 1’s new 2026 rulebook, insisting that while the Silver Arrows can be “very confident” in their power unit, it won’t be enough to make them the team to beat next season.

The sport is bracing for a seismic shift as manufacturers introduce brand-new V6 hybrid engines, balancing combustion and electric power 50-50. Mercedes’ Brixworth-based HPP engine division – which led the turbo-hybrid era from 2014 – is the subject of glowing paddock whispers, with many suggesting it has pulled clear of the competition.

But Russell isn’t buying into the notion that Mercedes’ long-running engine dominance alone will hand Brackley the edge. The Briton acknowledges the strength of the German manufacturer’s engine program but stops short of declaring it a golden ticket.

“I’m definitely very confident in the power unit side,” he said, quoted by Motorsport Week.

“I think, on average, over these last 10 years or probably even longer, I can’t remember when Mercedes didn’t have the best power unit in F1. Ok, maybe except for 2019, but obviously there were some other reasons for that!”

“But even before the regulation change, even in the V8 era, I think the Mercedes engine was probably the most competitive one of the field as well. So, I’m definitely very confident in the organisation in Brixworth.”

More Than Just Horsepower

McLaren, currently thriving with Mercedes power in its MCL39, has dominated this year’s championship fight, winning all but four races. Williams has also shown a resurgence with the same engines, while Alpine will join the German marque’s customer roster in 2026 after ditching Renault power.

This spread of customers means Mercedes won’t be alone in benefiting from its celebrated hardware.

“Of course, for us as Mercedes F1, we recognise that McLaren will have that same engine, Alpine will be having that engine, and even Williams are looking stronger this year,” Russell acknowledged.

“So, just because we’re confident that we’ll have a strong power unit and good fuel with Petronas, that doesn’t mean we’re the team to beat.”

Read also:

• Vasseur: Engines and loopholes’ could blow F1 wide open in 2026

And for Russell, the lesson from recent history is clear: engine supremacy hasn’t been the missing piece of Mercedes’ championship puzzle.

“You can’t just relax, because there’s a lot of people on the grid who also have your engine,” he added.

“We’ve got to stay on our toes, and at the end of the day, the reason we’ve not won championships in these last four years has not been because of the engine. We’re very much aware of that.”

Aero Rules the Roost

While Mercedes’ engine is a beast, McLaren’s recent success has been rooted in the efficiency of its aero package and its subsequent mastery of tyre management – something Russell admits is the true game-changer in F1

“For sure, that is always going to be a small advantage for the factory team, but I think that advantage is very minimal to be honest,” he said.

“I think the majority of the performance comes from aerodynamics, and it comes from the cooling of the tyres. We’ve seen a huge amount of performance from McLaren in those areas this year.

“The sort of integration, more logistically, is probably slightly more inconvenient for other teams than it is for a factory team, but it’s not going to hold them back much.”

So while Mercedes may be quietly confident about its engine work, Russell is making it clear: the battle for 2026 supremacy won’t be won in the dyno rooms of Brixworth, but in the teams’ wind tunnels and design studios.

Keep up to date with all the F1 news via X and Facebook