P1racenews AI automatic summary:
Mercedes’ George Russell warns that F1 teams challenging for the title through to the end of the season “could pay the price in 2026,” citing McLaren as 2025 favourites.
The 2024 F1 season was exceptionally competitive, with four different teams having race-winning drivers: Red Bull, Ferrari, McLaren, and Mercedes. In a historic first, seven drivers won multiple races, setting high expectations for the 2025 season, the final year of the current rule cycle, to be even tighter. George Russell anticipates McLaren, the reigning Constructors’ champions, to be strong contenders based on their solid performance last year. However, he expresses concerns that teams pushing until the end of 2025 might struggle in 2026 due to new engine and aerodynamic regulations. Russell highlights the importance of continuous development to clinch the championship, drawing parallels to Mercedes’ success in the latter half of the 2021 season through setup tweaks rather than major developments. As teams strive for incremental gains under intense development pressures, a fierce battle for supremacy is anticipated in 2025, with McLaren likely to lead the charge.
