Assumptions about the 2026 Mercedes engine are largely unfounded, believes James Vowles. The Williams team principal has provided some commentary on the consensus about Mercedes power.
Until now, Mercedes have been consistently mentioned as favourites to deliver the best engine in 2026. As one of their customers, Williams will inevitably benefit if this materialises.
According to Vowles, however, the narrative surrounding Mercedes has been fabricated.
Mercedes engine unlikely to dominate, says Vowles
Williams are seen as dark horses heading into the 2026 season. Having finished 5th in this year’s Championship, the British squad finds itself in a better position than usual prior to a regulation change.
More importantly, the Grove-based team barely introduced any upgrades in the last twelve months.
Williams have been tunnel-visioned on 2026 since the beginning of the calendar year. This has already materialised in how far ahead they are with production on next season’s machine.
In combination with the heavily favoured Mercedes engine, there is growing excitement about Vowles’ squad.
Aware of this consensus, Vowles explains why expectations for the Mercedes power unit should not be overblown:
“No one knows,” racingnews365 quotes him as saying. “No one of any engine manufacturer knows where they’re going to fall out.
“Part of the speculation that appeared was one team and power unit manufacturer trying to create a narrative to get some changes, to be completely clear.
“But no one really knows. I strongly doubt Ferrari has done a poor job, they are very good at getting this right year on year.
“Honda this year has produced a benchmark engine – so I don’t think it’s going to be like 2014 where you have such a runaway that you can have all the teams carried with it.
“Mercedes, we’ve been working specifically on 2026 with them since early 2024, when we signed the agreement. What I can say is they’ve done good preparation. Let’s see what that translates to.”
A guessing game until testing
By most metrics, analysts have good reason to see Mercedes powertrains as the likely benchmark. Their track record speaks for itself, both in terms of reliability and performance.
Inevitably, the Silver Arrows will struggle to replicate their dominance from the 2014 regulation change. After all, their preparation for the hybrid era was leaps and bounds ahead of anyone else.
Still, this does not mean Mercedes are not well-positioned for 2026.
Compared to the new manufacturers, Audi and Red Bull, Toto Wolff’s team has every advantage. From size of workforce to development facilities, there is a substantial gap to bridge.
When considering more established names like Ferrari and Honda, there are also key differences. Perhaps most significant is that Honda initially announced they would not continue in F1 for the 2026 regulations – before changing their mind.
This hesitation cost the Japanese manufacturer several months of development. Though this is not a death sentence, it still represents a noteworthy interruption.
Ferrari, meanwhile, have generally produced strong engines throughout the 21st century. In recent memory, only in the first half of 2022 did the Scuderia face persistent reliability problems.
Still, based on reports over the last few months, Ferrari have encountered a few hiccups with their engine. None of these issues are perceived as season-defining, but are still indicative of a high-risk approach.
Of course, the belief that Mercedes will have a powerful, electrically efficient and reliable power unit is unproven. Nothing is certain until the cars start circulating next season.
Then again, even James Vowles’ own drivers have spoken in glowing terms about Mercedes’ 2026 engine. Alpine’s Pierre Gasly recently joined this list, revealing his positive information about the German outfit’s progress.
Because of this, it will be up to another manufacturer to undermine the consensus about Mercedes power.
READ MORE: Mattia Binotto – Audi “don’t intend to be a surprise” in 2026
Main photo: Williams Media Gallery