Andrea Kimi Antonelli has stated that Mercedes no longer possesses the fastest car in Formula 1. His comments follow the Dutch Grand Prix, where he finished as runner-up. Antonelli believes the team’s car is currently positioned as the second or third quickest on the grid.
McLaren’s recent performance, particularly since the introduction of a significant upgrade package in Hungary, indicates a substantial step forward for the Woking-based team. Lando Norris secured victory at the Dutch Grand Prix, marking his second consecutive win of the 2026 season.
Norris’s win at Zandvoort was McLaren’s third consecutive victory at the circuit. Antonelli finished 11.536 seconds behind Norris, with his Mercedes teammate George Russell completing the podium in third place.
Mercedes began the 2026 campaign with a dominant package, winning the opening six races. However, in the six events leading up to the Dutch Grand Prix, Mercedes secured only two victories, sharing wins with McLaren and Ferrari.
Antonelli currently leads the 2026 Drivers’ Championship with 242 points. He holds a 59-point advantage over George Russell, who is second in the standings with 183 points. Lewis Hamilton, driving for Ferrari, is tied with Russell on 183 points but sits third on countback due to fewer wins.
Lando Norris is fourth in the championship with 159 points, trailing Antonelli by 83 points. McLaren is the reigning Constructors’ Champion, while Mercedes leads the 2026 Constructors’ Championship with 425 points, ahead of Ferrari (338) and McLaren (263).
Russell has expressed concerns regarding the upcoming races, citing Mercedes being ‘out of sync with the upgrades.’ He noted that high-degradation circuits particularly suit McLaren and Norris.
Mercedes Technical Director James Allison explained that the team’s aggressive development push on its launch car for 2026 left them ‘out of phase’ with rivals. Other teams finalized their initial designs earlier, allowing them to commence upgrade development sooner.
Mercedes introduced its first major upgrade package of the season at the Canadian Grand Prix in May. This included revisions to the front wing, front wing endplate, front and rear corner assemblies, floorboard, floor corner, and floor body.
Team Principal Toto Wolff has stated that Mercedes cannot match the development rate of its rivals due to financial constraints. He indicated that the team aims to distribute development evenly throughout the season, based on calculations for optimal impact.
Wolff had previously raised concerns in June that Ferrari’s aggressive upgrade strategy might lead them to exhaust their budget cap allowance prematurely. Mercedes, in contrast, has adopted a more cautious approach to managing its development spending.
Russell also clarified that team orders are ‘not even a consideration at the moment’ for Mercedes, emphasizing the focus on overall team performance. He recently found relief after Mercedes identified a power unit issue, rather than his driving style, as the cause of straight-line speed deficits at earlier Grands Prix.
