Wolff cools title hype, Russell impressed by Aston

Feb.3 (GMM) Early whispers that Mercedes could be the team to beat under Formula 1’s new 2026 regulations are being firmly played down in Brackley – by both boss Toto Wolff and presumed title favourite George Russell.

With Mercedes widely tipped to start the new era strongly thanks to its power unit, Russell has emerged in some quarters as an early championship favourite. The Briton, however, insists nothing has changed in his mindset.

“Whether I’m considered a favourite or not doesn’t change my approach,” Russell said on Monday. “Fans probably expected it to be a battle between Mercedes and McLaren, as many expected our power unit to be the best. But everything indicates the other engine manufacturers have also done a good job.”

Russell was particularly struck by the first proper appearance of Aston Martin radical 2026 car, designed by Adrian Newey, even if Honda’s new engine is believed to be facing early challenges.

“I think the Aston is the most outstanding car in terms of design,” Russell said. “Everyone is looking at its rear suspension. Visually it’s stunning – but it’s not a beauty contest, it’s a speed contest. And we’ll find that out in Melbourne.”

“Red Bull, McLaren, Ferrari and we are close,” he added. “But you can’t rule out Aston Martin. What Adrian has done with that car looks pretty spectacular, and we know what Honda is capable of.”

Wolff echoed that caution, dismissing the idea that Barcelona’s closed-door shakedown week revealed a clear hierarchy.

“What happened in Barcelona is yet another example of how much performance differentiation gets artificially inflated,” the 54-year-old said. “I haven’t seen anyone there who is collapsing in that respect.”

While pleased with Mercedes’ start, Wolff stressed that rivals left plenty in reserve.

“We don’t yet have a complete picture because Max Verstappen was never on fast laps, and Ferrari and McLaren certainly didn’t show everything they’re capable of,” he explained. “It’s nice when your driver is the bookmakers’ favourite, but we haven’t proven yet that we have a package good enough to win the title.”

The Austrian also warned that Bahrain testing – with heat and abrasive asphalt – will be a far truer benchmark. “We haven’t driven in conditions like Bahrain yet, and those have been difficult for us in the past. I’m a glass-half-empty kind of person anyway. I’ve set my expectations wrong too many times.”

Beyond performance, Wolff sounded genuinely enthusiastic about the new generation of cars.

“I don’t see any downsides,” he said. “They look like Formula 1 cars again – not the whales of the past. I like the engine concept, especially the boost, and I believe we’ll see more overtaking thanks to the tools available to the drivers.”

“Of course it’s still about the fastest car,” Wolff concluded, “but in 2026 there’s an added dimension of intelligent driving and tactics. That’s exciting for Formula 1.”

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