George Russell, the Mercedes driver favored to win the 2026 Formula 1 title, expressed excitement about competing against Max Verstappen. Speaking at Mercedes' 2026 car launch, Russell highlighted the potential for a multi-team championship fight amid new regulations. Team principal Toto Wolff cautioned that much remains to be proven despite positive early testing.
George Russell enters the 2026 Formula 1 season as the world championship favorite, buoyed by Mercedes' historical dominance following the 2014 engine regulation change, during which the team secured eight consecutive titles. The new 2026 regulations introduce entirely redesigned cars, leaving the competitive order uncertain. Mercedes impressed in last week's Barcelona shakedown, completing 502 trouble-free laps with Russell and teammate Kimi Antonelli, where Russell posted the second-fastest time behind Lewis Hamilton of Ferrari.
Russell, a five-time race winner, relishes the prospect of a title duel with Red Bull's four-time champion Max Verstappen, despite concerns over Red Bull's new in-house power unit compared to Mercedes'. In 2025, Lando Norris claimed the drivers' crown for McLaren with the dominant MCL39, edging Verstappen by just two points. Addressing the challenge at the Mercedes W16 launch, Russell said: "I do want to go head-to-head with Max and obviously, Lando had a great season last year. ... So, yeah, I think he's very much going to be in the fight this year and that is great."
The Briton anticipates a broader contest involving multiple teams. "I think at the moment it does look like Red Bull, McLaren, Ferrari and ourselves are, let's say, the four teams that are all quite close within one another," Russell added. He also noted Aston Martin's potential, now a Honda works team led by Adrian Newey and featuring two-time champion Fernando Alonso, who finished seventh in 2025. "You can't discount what you've seen from Aston Martin and what Adrian has done with that car," Russell remarked.
Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff welcomed Russell's favored status, with bookmakers listing him at 2/1 ahead of Verstappen. "It's always nice if your driver is the favourite with the bookmakers, and I think he deserves it because he's one of the best," Wolff said. However, he tempered expectations: "But even then, it is always the best driver and best car that wins, and we haven't yet proven that we have a package that is good enough."
Russell dismissed added pressure from his tag, focusing on adapting to innovations like energy management, battery reharvesting, boost systems, and active aero. Their 2024 clash adds history to the Verstappen rivalry, but Russell envisions a thrilling season reminiscent of 2010's multi-team battle.
