We’re only three rounds into the F1 2026 season, but Helmut Marko says the emerging pattern is one of success for Mercedes, particularly for their young driver, Kimi Antonelli.
According to Helmut Marko, former advisor to Red Bull, both championship trophies will end up in Mercedes’ headquarters in Brackley.
In a recent interview with Austria’s ORF, Marko gave a candid assessment of the new regulatory era of F1, noting that Mercedes are in position to grab the 2026 constructors’ title whilst navigating an internal battle between George Russell and Kimi Antonelli.
Mercedes starting the 2026 season with speed
Mercedes has kicked off the new technical era in remarkable form. The W27, complete with Mercedes power unit, continues to lock out the first row.
Their Saturday/qualifying pace advantage has been clear, with a gap of eight-tenths in Melbourne and a comfortable three-and-a-half-tenth buffer at Shanghai and Suzuka.
Despite Ferrari and McLaren showing flashes of race pace, Marko is unconvinced that the rest of the pack can bridge the gap to Mercedes.
Marko says Antonelli bringing the challenge to Mercedes teammate
Antonelli has seemingly taken to the new Mercedes, not merely matching his teammate, but outscoring him in the early grands prix and sits top of the drivers’ championship table.
Marko, a seasoned judge of young talent, claimed, “his whole demeanour is very refreshing.
“He was already incredibly fast everywhere in the junior categories, and it’s good to see a young driver like that coming up.”
Antonelli has already erased several long-standing records from the F1 history books. He is now the youngest polesitter, fastest-lap scorer, race leader, championship leader, and hat-trick scorer in the sport’s history.
“The question is whether he can maintain that speed and performance over the course of the season,” Marko warned for Mercedes.
“Russell is certainly the more experienced driver, and last year, once the races moved to Europe, Antonelli suffered a significant slump.”
Podium places but only one winner at Mercedes
Marko expects Ferrari and McLaren to scrap for the final podium step on any given Sunday, but predicts that the championship battle will be an internal one at Mercedes.
“It’s going to be exciting within the team, because the world championship will surely be decided between the two drivers,” Marko said about Mercedes.
For Toto Wolff, this is a luxury problem to have. The team has a dominant car and two drivers fast enough to drive it to wins and podium places – we just need to wait and see who comes first.
