Mercedes Dismisses 'Illusion' of 2026 F1 Dominance
Mercedes' Andrew Shovlin insists there is "no illusion" that the new 2026 F1 regulations will automatically favor the team, despite their past dominance. They are approaching the new era as a fresh, difficult challenge.
Mercedes trackside engineering director Andrew Shovlin is firmly managing expectations for the 2026 F1 season, dismissing any notion that the new regulations will automatically return the team to its former dominance. Despite their legendary success with the last major engine rule change in 2014, Shovlin insists there is "no illusion" within the team that history will repeat itself. The Silver Arrows are bracing for a "completely fresh challenge" where they will have to fight for every advantage.
Why it matters:
Shovlin's comments are a stark departure from the team's dominant era, acknowledging that the current regulations have not played to their strengths. This public reset signals a significant cultural shift at Brackley, moving away from the mindset of the established benchmark. The 2026 rules represent the biggest technical shake-up in over a decade, with a focus on increased electrical power that could completely reshuffle the competitive order and create a new title contender.
The details:
- No Expectations: Shovlin stated, "There isn't a shred of expectation in our team that the new regulations will miraculously suit us more than the others" simply because they resemble the successful 2020-2021 rules.
- Learning from the Present: He admitted the current post-2022 rules "haven't suited us like the previous set," suggesting the team has learned hard lessons that will be applied to the 2026 project.
- A Wider Challenge: The 2026 overhaul opens up "a lot of areas that the teams are going to be competing in," making it a more complex engineering battle than ever before with more variables to master.
What's next:
The overarching message from Mercedes is one of cautious realism. The team is approaching the 2026 reset with the mindset of a challenger, not the defending champion. With Shovlin asserting, "We’re going to have to work for it if we want to win," the focus at Brackley is squarely on innovation and execution, knowing that any team could emerge as the new benchmark when the lights go out for the 2026 season.