Mercedes wants to remain strong at the start of the new era of Formula 1 and Toto Wolff confirmed news for the Canadian GP. The team principal also highlighted Red Bull as the biggest technical surprise of the 2026 season so far.
Read more F1: Montoya highlights Bono’s role in Antonelli’s success
Even after another controlled victory by Kimi Antonelli, Wolff believes the competition is still far from stabilizing. According to the Austrian executive, the current regulation cycle is still in its early stages and car development continues at a rapid pace.
“We are only at the beginning of this new regulation and the development curve is very steep,” Wolff told Gazzetta dello Sport. The Mercedes boss especially highlighted McLaren’s growth after the introduction of a significant upgrade package throughout the season.
Despite this, it was Red Bull’s recovery that caught the executive’s attention the most. “I have to say that Red Bull was a big surprise because they made a huge leap. They went from more than a second behind the leader to fighting again at the front with Verstappen,” he emphasized.
Read more Moto2: González beats Vietti at the end and wins the Catalonia GP
Mercedes arrived at the Miami GP with few updates compared to direct rivals, but Wolff confirmed that the team will bring important novelties to Montreal. “We will also have developments in Canada, but I think it’s normal to see performances changing from race to race throughout this year,” he explained.
Besides the competition between teams, the internal environment at Mercedes also gains attention. With Antonelli experiencing a great phase after extending his good start to the championship, expectations grow about the duel with George Russell within the German team in the upcoming stages of the 2026 Formula 1 season.
Read more F1: Button recalls crisis at Honda and praises Brawn’s arrival
