2026 Mercedes-AMG Petronas F1 Team

[Lasssept]

[SB15]

That's impossible lmao no way anyone believes this.

[zibby43]

That's impossible lmao no way anyone believes this.

Correct. That would be bonkers.

[gearboxtrouble]

Only way that could happen is if George has to take a penalty before the new engine is ready and Kimi would rather wait till Austin, leaving the McLarens able to take it first with their next normally allocated engines. Logically it makes sense for George to take a penalty at Baku - the main straight should let Mercedes get through the field really quickly even with the current spec. Another engine related DNF because they wanted to wait for the ADUO engine would be a bad outcome.

[Lasssept]

[basti313]

Only way that could happen is if George has to take a penalty before the new engine is ready and Kimi would rather wait till Austin, leaving the McLarens able to take it first with their next normally allocated engines. Logically it makes sense for George to take a penalty at Baku - the main straight should let Mercedes get through the field really quickly even with the current spec. Another engine related DNF because they wanted to wait for the ADUO engine would be a bad outcome.

I think you are mixing topics here:
- More power: I do not think that Merc would aim for more power now. Would be stupid under the current ADUO as it would jeopardize the current advantage that is manifested like 2014 in the rules. Any addition of power may open up ADUO for RedBull. So no matter what they do...George can slice through the field in any race as we have seen it in Monza. Except for Spore, Katar (?) and Brazil everything to come will be an energy starvation race at some spot.
- More reliability: The failures were all very early. I do not think this plays a very big role. But yes, I am quite sure, that Merc will put everything into reliability.

[KimiRai]

https://autoracer.it/aduo-mercedes-powe ... rari-audi/

The ADUO token will be spent on a new turbocharger
According to what AutoRacer has learned, the intervention carried out by Mercedes in this 2026 season thanks to the ADUO concession will concern the turbocharger.

Toto is a political beast.

[f1isgood]

https://autoracer.it/aduo-mercedes-powe ... rari-audi/

The ADUO token will be spent on a new turbocharger
According to what AutoRacer has learned, the intervention carried out by Mercedes in this 2026 season thanks to the ADUO concession will concern the turbocharger.

Toto is a political beast.

His competition politically is non-existent nowadays....

[AR3-GP]

The kinds of things that Toto does is what sustains dynasties in Formula 1. People like to say that he inherited Ross Brawn's work, but Toto's ability to maintain the status quo for so many years is significantly underrated. Stopping the FIA from taking away your toys is more than half of the battle once you've made a good car. We know in the previous years (2014-2016) that they turned down the PU to not give the game away. Most average team principals will have squandered it much sooner. How they've managed to maneuver in this ADUO situation has bought them another year of championships, minimum.

You can loathe it or you can admire it. It's not his fault that the sports leadership is inadequate. I'm mainly curious now about how they'll manage to shaft Mclaren in a manner that is above suspicion for the 2nd year running. The same tricks won't work twice, one would think...Zak has seen the light...

[PlatinumZealot]

That's impossible lmao no way anyone believes this.

Why not? Doesn't mean the McLaren ADUO engine will be as performant as the delayed Mercedes one. McLaren is only getting the hardware and software as a do it yourself package

[search]

I noticed that there is a discrepancy about Antonelli's exhaust usage so far in the FIA documents. While it was listed as 4 until the Dutch GP...

https://www.fia.com/system/files/decisi ... to_now.pdf

...the number went down to 3 afterwards:

https://www.fia.com/system/files/decisi ... to_now.pdf

Any idea which number is correct? I would assume 4?

[leblanc]

The kinds of things that Toto does is what sustains dynasties in Formula 1. People like to say that he inherited Ross Brawn's work, but Toto's ability to maintain the status quo for so many years is significantly underrated. Stopping the FIA from taking away your toys is more than half of the battle once you've made a good car. We know in the previous years (2014-2016) that they turned down the PU to not give the game away. Most average team principals will have squandered it much sooner. How they've managed to maneuver in this ADUO situation has bought them another year of championships, minimum.

100%.

You can loathe it or you can admire it. It's not his fault that the sports leadership is inadequate. I'm mainly curious now about how they'll manage to shaft Mclaren in a manner that is above suspicion for the 2nd year running. The same tricks won't work twice, one would think...Zak has seen the light...

Old tricks are the best tricks and underrating again can be waved away easiest.

[AR3-GP]

Baku will be like Monza. Easy 1-2 for Mercedes (unless Mclaren would go so much faster in the corners and brake zones from their new floor this weekend).

[PlatinumZealot]

Now is a chance for Russell to force Antonellie into a DNF.

[search]

wasn't Russell rumored to take a penalty here?!