F1 2026: Luigi Mazzola criticizes Mercedes: “They shot themselves in the foot”
The 2026 Spanish Grand Prix tells more than just the story of Lewis Hamilton’s victory for Ferrari. According to former Ferrari engineer Luigi Mazzola, it also highlighted a strategic mistake by Mercedes that may have cost the German team a genuine chance of winning the race. His analysis focuses on George Russell, Kimi Antonelli and a number of decisions that continue to fuel debate following the Barcelona weekend.
Mercedes had a golden opportunity
Looking back at the race weekend in Barcelona, Luigi Mazzola believes Mercedes was considerably more competitive than the final result suggests. In his view, the Silver Arrows had the pace to fight for victory and consistently challenge Lewis Hamilton and Ferrari throughout the Grand Prix.
The speed demonstrated during several phases of the race, together with the car’s impressive performance over long stints, confirmed the progress made by Toto Wolff‘s team. That is precisely why the final outcome leaves several unanswered questions.
The Antonelli-Russell situation
One of the strongest points raised by Luigi Mazzola concerns Mercedes’ management of its two drivers. During the race, Kimi Antonelli repeatedly displayed extremely competitive pace. According to the former Ferrari engineer, the young Italian appeared to have a slight performance advantage over teammate George Russell.
Despite that, Mercedes chose to keep both drivers in position without making any decisive intervention—a decision that Luigi Mazzola openly questioned.
“They shot themselves in the foot”
The phrase used by Luigi Mazzola was particularly striking. According to the former Ferrari engineer, Mercedes ultimately made life more difficult for themselves by failing to exploit the full potential available to the team.
If one driver is clearly running at a faster pace, Luigi Mazzola argues, the team’s responsibility should be to place that driver in the best possible position to attack the cars ahead. Allowing an internal situation to remain unresolved can result in valuable time being lost and, ultimately, important opportunities slipping away.
Antonelli continues to impress
The episode also highlights another fascinating aspect of the 2026 Formula 1 season.
Kimi Antonelli continues to confirm his remarkable talent despite competing in one of the most demanding environments in the sport. Going head-to-head with an experienced and highly capable driver such as George Russell is a major challenge for any rookie, yet the young Italian has consistently demonstrated impressive maturity and speed.
Luigi Mazzola’s comments also reflect a growing belief throughout the Formula 1 paddock that Antonelli’s performances deserve increasingly close attention.
Ferrari took full advantage
While Mercedes was occupied managing its internal battle, Ferrari capitalized on every opportunity that presented itself.
Lewis Hamilton maintained an outstanding pace throughout the race, Ferrari’s strategy proved highly effective, and the upgrades introduced on the SF-26 delivered exactly the improvements the team had hoped for. According to Luigi Mazzola, this was one of the defining differences between the two teams during the Spanish Grand Prix weekend. Ferrari successfully converted its potential into victory, while Mercedes left part of its own potential unrealized.
The team orders dilemma
The situation also raises a broader discussion about the role of team orders in modern Formula 1.
Many teams prefer to avoid direct intervention in order to preserve harmony between their drivers. However, when race victories are at stake, those decisions inevitably become much more delicate. According to Luigi Mazzola’s reasoning, a team aiming for championships must be prepared to make quick—and sometimes unpopular—decisions whenever necessary. In Barcelona, Mercedes may ultimately have paid the price for its hesitation.
A sign of things to come
Beyond the outcome of a single Grand Prix, the Antonelli-Russell situation could become a recurring theme as the season progresses.
If the young Italian continues to develop while maintaining this level of competitiveness, Mercedes will almost certainly face similar situations again. The decisions made in those moments could have a direct impact not only on individual races but also on the team’s long-term internal balance.
For Luigi Mazzola, the Spanish Grand Prix showcased a Mercedes that was undeniably fast but not always flawless when it came to maximizing its own resources. His criticism of the team’s decision not to prioritize Kimi Antonelli during a crucial phase of the race stems from the belief that Mercedes had everything it needed to put even greater pressure on Ferrari.
Lewis Hamilton ultimately secured the victory, but according to the former Ferrari engineer, part of Ferrari’s success was also made possible by the mistakes of its rivals. It is a detail that could become increasingly significant as the 2026 Formula 1 championship enters its most decisive phase.
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