Toto Wolff, Mercedes Team Principal, has stated the team must ‘look at ourselves’ following Ferrari’s unexpected victory at the 2026 British Grand Prix. Wolff anticipates Ferrari will pose a significant challenge for the remainder of the current Formula 1 season. The comments come after Charles Leclerc secured Ferrari’s second win of the season at Silverstone on Sunday, July 5, 2026.
Leclerc’s victory was Ferrari’s first at Silverstone and his ninth career win. Mercedes driver Kimi Antonelli had secured pole position for the main race, marking his fifth pole of the 2026 season. Antonelli also won the Sprint race earlier in the weekend.
Lewis Hamilton, driving for Ferrari, had taken Sprint Pole at his home event. However, Antonelli overtook Hamilton during the Sprint to claim victory. In the Grand Prix, Hamilton received a five-second penalty for a false start.
Ferrari’s performance at Silverstone defied pre-race expectations. The circuit was widely considered a less favourable track for the SF-26 due to its energy demands. However, the team demonstrated strong pace throughout the weekend.
Antonelli’s race was compromised on Lap 41 when he suffered a front wheel shield failure. This issue necessitated two additional pit stops and resulted in a five-second time penalty for exceeding track limits. He ultimately finished P16, scoring no points.
George Russell, Antonelli’s Mercedes teammate, secured second place in the Grand Prix. Russell’s podium finish came after a late Safety Car period, triggered by Max Verstappen spinning off on Lap 48. Russell had also battled a slow puncture during the race.
Wolff expressed his surprise at Ferrari’s pace. He noted that Ferrari had expected a significant deficit at Silverstone but were ‘absolutely on par’ with Mercedes for much of the race. He also addressed Mercedes’ reliability concerns, stating that a car ‘should not break.’
‘We need to look at ourselves,’ Wolff stated, ‘They said before the weekend that they’re going to be lacking energy over this track – they haven’t. They were a strong competitor and this is to be expected now for the rest of the season.’
The Mercedes Team Principal acknowledged that Antonelli’s car issue was the team’s responsibility. He also mentioned Russell’s ongoing discomfort with the W17 chassis and a straight-line speed issue.
Mercedes had dominated the initial phase of the 2026 season, securing victories in the first six Grands Prix. However, Ferrari has now won two of the last three races, with Hamilton winning in Barcelona and Leclerc at Silverstone. This has reduced Antonelli’s championship lead over Russell to 25 points.
Earlier in the season, Wolff had questioned Ferrari’s aggressive upgrade strategy, suggesting they might ‘run out of cost cap soon.’ Ferrari’s SF-26 has received significant development, including an ADUO power unit update. This has contributed to their improved performance.
Mercedes’ trackside engineering director Andrew Shovlin confirmed the team is bringing smaller, consistent updates to the W17. He acknowledged the escalating threat from Ferrari and Red Bull. The team aims to maintain its lead in the Constructors’ Championship.
