Mercedes driver George Russell is confident that Formula 1 will offer better racing from 2026.
“I think we’ll see more overtaking maneuvers next year – but more in unusual places, in places where they’ve never happened before,” says the Brit.
The background is the new technical rules: the engines should consist of equal parts combustion and electric power, the chassis will have active aerodynamics, and the previous DRS system will be abolished.
Instead, there is a so-called “Manual Override Mode” that releases additional electrical energy – similar to the push-to-pass system in the IndyCar series.
Russell sees potential for more exciting racing
Russell believes the new cars will have a surprising effect on racing. “If a driver is at the end of his battery charge and the person behind him has more energy, he can suddenly go past a curve where an overtaking maneuver was previously not possible,” explains the Mercedes driver.
He is cautious about the effect of the override mode itself: “In terms of the override itself, I don’t know, but we have said in the past that we don’t like pure DRS overtaking maneuvers. I think the rules for 2026 will bring better racing.”
Tires remain a challenge for Pirelli
Russell also comments on future tires. Pirelli is currently working on narrower tires for 2026. “We drivers are selfish – we want the best and fastest cars,” says Russell. “But we have to recognize that we are only 20 drivers while over 100 million people follow the races.”
He describes how he would imagine ideal tires: “If it’s a 60-lap race, then the hard tire should break down after 30 laps, the medium after 20 and the soft after 10. If you could manage that, that would be perfect. But for Pirelli that’s not easy because every circuit has different asphalt conditions.”
Despite the close battle for second place in the constructors’ championship – Ferrari is just ahead of Mercedes (355) and Red Bull (346) with 356 points – the team is already looking to the future. “We probably have 95 percent of the team focused on 2026,” Russell says. “The crew at the track is working on the current car, but in development the focus is completely on next year. Even in the simulator, I only drive the 2026 car.”