Mercedes is cruising towards the 2026 Formula 1 title, but the Brackley-based team has already started shifting its sights to 2027. With a 145-point lead over its nearest rival in the constructors' standings, team boss Toto Wolff describes the position as a "nice buffer" that allows Mercedes to begin development on next year's car early.
The 2026 season has been a redemption for Mercedes after a disappointing ground effect era. Their dominance is evident with 10 wins from 14 grands prix so far, while Kimi Antonelli leads the drivers' championship. Ferrari, in second place, is far behind, and McLaren showed momentum with two wins from Lando Norris, but it seems insufficient to halt Mercedes' charge.
Wolff revealed that development for 2027 started before the summer break. "2027 started a while ago, before the summer," he said after Antonelli won the first Spanish Grand Prix at Madring. "Summer we switched resources into next year and that continues as per the plan independent of where we're standing in the championship."
This move marks a shift from Mercedes' usually aggressive in-season development strategy. Although they brought updates at the Canadian Grand Prix in May and plan to introduce another package at the Bahrain Grand Prix in Malaysia next month, their development pace hasn't matched Ferrari or McLaren. However, with a large lead, Mercedes can afford to be more relaxed in managing resources.
Nevertheless, Wolff is not getting ahead of himself. He warned that races can change dramatically. "You can DNF, you can crash out. It happens two times in a row and then suddenly what looked like a nice buffer is not anymore because you have six races to go," he said on Sunday. "So, in my opinion, we just need to ignore the points until it is mathematically not realistic anymore or not real anymore for them to win and until then just concentrate on each and every week and try to bring your best game."
To bring their best game, Mercedes has a "solid" upgrade ready to roll out in Malaysia. Wolff admits there can be issues when bringing new parts to the track, but he appears confident in the new parts that will debut next month. "I think we are bringing a solid upgrade in Malaysia," he told Sky Sports on Saturday. "So, we got to survive another one in Baku and let's see, but sometimes it doesn't correlate with the road so well. So, I hope that..."
With a dual focus on 2026 and 2027, Mercedes is in an advantageous position. They not only lead the standings but are also preparing to maintain dominance in the next regulatory era. While rivals like Ferrari and McLaren are still struggling to catch up, Mercedes is already a step ahead in long-term planning.
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Mercedes alihkan fokus ke pengembangan F1 2027 setelah unggul 145 poin di klasemen konstruktor 2026. Toto Wolff sebut buffer bagus, upgrade solid disiapkan untuk Malaysia.
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