Why are Mercedes F1 team so fast?

Mercedes look set to be serious contenders for both Formula 1 championships this season, and it’s not solely down to their strong showing in testing.

At last week’s private pre-season shakedown in Barcelona, the team delivered an eye-catching performance, completing more than 500 laps during the opening week and finishing fastest on two of the three days they ran.

However, Mercedes’ confidence in their package predates those runs. The team believed they had produced something special, with George Russell saying back in October that he felt his strongest opportunity to win the 2026 drivers’ title would come with Mercedes.

Russell's interviews last week were also very positive, with he and team-mate Kimi Antonelli issuing glowing reviews of their new W17 machinery.

But why are so many pundits and fans already tipping Mercedes to be the dominant team in the sport in 2026?

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Clever diffuser adaptation

This unusual opening had not been on their original renderings when revealing the W17 at their official car launch event, but close up pictures of the car from the Barcelona shakedown reveal that it is indeed there.

The idea of the hole in the diffuser is that the W17 deliberately channels the airflow through this hole. The additional air, which expands in the rising underbody, generates even more downforce.

It's a design technique that Ferrari and Red Bull seem to have opted for too, although Red Bull's is a completely different shape, with the diffuser wall in the rear section appearing to be completely absent.

Defending champions McLaren do not have that hole in the diffuser, although of course it is a simple tweak to make should the teams with this quirk end up being the teams to beat.

Mercedes' engine 'trick'

Of course, part of the reasoning for fans and pundits bigging Mercedes up is because of their history at maximising past power unit regulations, with their engine dominating the sport following the wholesale rule changes in 2014.

Mercedes claimed eight consecutive constructors' championships in the early years of the hybrid era, between 2014-2021.

And this winter has been filled with rumours that Mercedes have found a 'trick' in their new power unit that could be worth up to 0.3 seconds per lap.

The alleged trick regards the geometric compression ratios, with it being reported that Mercedes have found a way for the compression ratio to be at the allowed 16:1 when the engine is stationary, but then increase to the previously allowed 18:1 when moving, something that could allow an extra 15 brake horsepower.

Time will tell as to whether Mercedes really have found this extra pace or not, but the Brackley outfit are looking in good shape to be able to mount a title challenge, at least challenging closer to the likes of McLaren than they were last year.

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