George Russell: Red Bull’s F1 lead is ‘alarming,’ focus should not be on Mercedes
George Russell insists that Red Bull possesses an early edge in Formula 1 2026, asserting that their engine superiority is “scary” and that no one “should be focusing” on Mercedes as the leading team.
In the ongoing exchange between the two teams at the season’s outset, Red Bull’s technical director Pierre Waché contends that the team is “not the benchmark” and ranks fourth behind Mercedes, McLaren, and Ferrari.
Both Toto Wolff and Max Verstappen have expressed differing opinions regarding the pace of Mercedes and Red Bull during preseason testing in Bahrain, where neither team has fully revealed their capabilities, yet both appear competitive on the track despite McLaren and Ferrari leading the first two days.
Red Bull’s engine—developed by Red Bull for the first time in 2026 following the separation from Honda—has received particular acclaim, with Russell stating it has the most competitive setup.
“I don’t think anyone should really be looking at us; you should be focusing on the most competitive car on the grid, which at this moment is the Red Bull,” Russell remarked.
“They’re not merely a small step ahead; we’re talking about a difference of half a second to a second in deployment over the course of a lap, so it’s quite alarming to observe that gap.
“Red Bull has consistently produced a very strong car over the past 15 years, even when they lacked a powerful engine, so this test has been quite revealing for many of us.”
Verstappen set the fastest time early on Wednesday in Bahrain, and Russell added: “The reality is Red Bull in Barcelona Day 1 hit the ground running and were significantly ahead of all their rivals, including ourselves, Ferrari, and others.
“On Day 1 here in Bahrain, they again excelled, so at the moment they are clearly the team to beat, and it’s quite evident when you have three days of testing in the same venue to make those enhancements.
“However, when you arrive in Melbourne and have just three hours of practice before qualifying, based on what we’ve observed in Barcelona and Bahrain, Red Bull will likely be in front. So yes, we have work to do.”
– Max Verstappen accuses Toto Wolff of F1 ‘diversion tactics’
– Toto Wolff: Red Bull, not Mercedes, the F1 2026 benchmark
Speaking shortly before Russell, it is fair to say Waché—representing Red Bull in the absence of team principal Laurent Mekies—did not entirely concur with the Briton’s views.
“We are not the benchmark, for sure,” he stated.
“We clearly see the top three teams, Ferrari, Mercedes, and McLaren, ahead of us, according to our analysis, and we are behind. However, there is work we believe we can improve upon. I find it challenging to comment on those aspects because the running plans of everyone, the fuel levels they use, and the power levels they operate at are difficult to assess, but our current analysis could be incorrect.
“We don’t spend too much time on that. We focus on how to enhance our performance.”
Source: espn.com
