George Russell admits Mercedes is struggling with 2026 race starts as Ferrari’s “rocket” launches dominate Bahrain. Discover why the W17 is falling behind off the line.
Mercedes has stunned the F1 paddock as George Russell and Kimi Antonelli dominated the final 2026 Bahrain pre-season test. With the new W17 outpacing Red Bull’s Week 1 benchmarks by over 1.3 seconds, we analyze if the Silver Arrows have officially ended the Verstappen era before the first race in Melbourne.
Sebastian Vettel has sent shockwaves through the paddock by naming George Russell and Mercedes as his 2026 title favorites. From his recent appearance on Servus TV, the four-time champion analyzes the seismic regulatory shift and why he believes the Brackley-based team is poised to reclaim their throne.