George Russell believes McLaren currently heads to Monza as the team to beat, although the Mercedes driver admits Ferrari’s anticipated engine upgrade introduces a major unknown into the competitive picture for the Italian Grand Prix.
Formula 1 now moves on from Zandvoort, with the Dutch Grand Prix completed and the event retiring from the calendar, towards the 13th round of the season at Monza for the 2026 Italian Grand Prix. Lando Norris arrives with significant momentum after taking his second victory of the year in the Netherlands, finishing ahead of Andrea Kimi Antonelli and Russell.
George Russell expects Mercedes to improve at Monza
Speaking in the FIA press conference after the Dutch Grand Prix, Russell suggested Mercedes should be slightly more competitive at Monza. However, he was reluctant to predict exactly where the team would stand because of the potential performance change Ferrari could introduce at its home race.
Russell explained that he expects Ferrari to bring an engine upgrade to Monza, but acknowledged that Mercedes does not know how significant the resulting difference could be. That uncertainty makes the Scuderia particularly difficult to assess before cars take to the circuit.
The possible power-unit step is especially relevant given Ferrari’s preparations for its home Grand Prix. The Maranello team has been working towards a planned Monza power unit upgrade, adding another variable to a weekend in which Russell already expects Mercedes to make progress.
Russell still sees McLaren as the Monza team to beat
Despite the uncertainty surrounding Ferrari, Russell currently regards McLaren as the strongest reference going into the next race. Norris won the Hungarian Grand Prix immediately before the summer break and then followed that result by taking victory again at Zandvoort.
Russell argued that circuits featuring high levels of tyre degradation tend to suit McLaren particularly well and highlighted Norris as especially effective in those conditions. He pointed to the British driver’s performances from the previous season as further evidence of that strength.
Monza, however, could present a different type of challenge. Russell accepted that the Italian circuit may not follow exactly the same pattern as venues where tyre degradation has been a more decisive factor, but his current assessment still places McLaren at the front of the competitive order.
Ferrari enters Monza chasing championship leader Mercedes
The Constructors’ Championship adds another layer to the battle. Mercedes leads with 425 points, with Ferrari second on 338 and McLaren third on 263. That means the Italian Grand Prix is important not only in terms of individual race performance but also in the wider fight between the three leading teams.
For Ferrari, the potential engine development therefore arrives at an important moment. The Scuderia needs to understand how much performance the update can provide relative to Mercedes while also dealing with a McLaren team Russell considers the immediate benchmark. The development will also attract particular attention at Monza, where Ferrari’s technical programme will be under intense scrutiny; further coverage of the SF-26’s evolution can be found in our Ferrari technical analysis.
Russell’s assessment leaves the Italian Grand Prix with an unusually open competitive picture. Mercedes expects to be more competitive, Ferrari could alter the balance with its engine step, and McLaren arrives after Norris won consecutive races either side of the summer break.
For now, Russell is giving McLaren the advantage. But with Ferrari preparing for its home weekend and Mercedes anticipating improved competitiveness, Monza could provide a significantly different test from Zandvoort when the three teams meet again on track.
Leave a Reply