As the 2026 Formula 1 season officially kicks off in Australia, Ferrari continues to emerge as one of the most feared teams on the grid. Not only analysts and experts, but even within the paddock, the SF-26 is increasingly seen as a car capable of hitting the ground running.
Mercedes drivers acknowledge Ferrari’s strength
A notable example comes from a video shared on Mercedes AMG Petronas F1 Team’s social channels, showing George Russell and young driver Andrea Kimi Antonelli heading to the Albert Park circuit in Melbourne. The two discuss the upcoming weekend informally, exchanging thoughts on team hierarchies and expectations.
Russell breaks the ice by asking: “What do you think of this weekend? How do you see it going?”
Antonelli responds immediately without hesitation: “Ferrari.” George Russell nods in agreement: “Yes.” Antonelli then adds a comment about Red Bull: “They look too suspicious.” Russell smiles and agrees: “Yeah, they seemed suspiciously slow, didn’t they?”
The exchange clearly refers to the winter testing sessions, where Red Bull did not fully reveal its potential. Russell adds a note of caution: “They will be fast.”
Kimi Antonelli also looks to Mercedes’ ambitions: “Hopefully, we can be ahead, and then behind these three, the rest will follow. I don’t think they’ll be as close as last year.”
Ferrari impresses during pre-season tests
The comments from George Russell and Kimi Antonelli reflect a sentiment widely shared across the paddock following the pre-season tests in Barcelona and Bahrain. During those sessions, Ferrari demonstrated a competitive package across various conditions.
The SF-26 appeared particularly strong in race simulations and showed encouraging pace over a single lap. Observers highlighted the car’s aerodynamic balance and tire management as key strengths.
Even rival teams admitted that Maranello’s car seems among the most complete and refined packages revealed during testing.
True performance will be revealed on track
As always, testing can only provide preliminary impressions. Different teams run distinct programs, and not all reveal their full potential immediately. Red Bull, labeled “suspicious” by Antonelli, may have intentionally hidden some of its pace.
This makes the opening weekend in Melbourne crucial for establishing the real performance hierarchy. However, one thing is already clear: whenever pre-season favorites are discussed, the name Ferrari keeps coming up more frequently and with increasing emphasis throughout the paddock.
The internal discussions at Mercedes suggest that Ferrari has successfully translated its winter data into genuine on-track performance. Whether the SF-26 can withstand the inevitable push from a “suspiciously slow” Red Bull and an ambitious Mercedes squad will be the defining story of this Australian Grand Prix.
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