“I didn’t expect it from them”: George Russell praises Red Bull but eyes Ferrari threat. George Russell admitted he was surprised by Red Bull’s performance during the Barcelona tests.

One team in particular caught George Russell’s attention during the Formula 1 tests in Barcelona. “Red Bull has done a very good job,” the Mercedes driver admitted, highlighting one of the most interesting talking points to emerge from the opening phase of preparation for the 2026 season.

Mercedes has been impressed by the work carried out at Red Bull, with George Russell openly praising the Austrian team’s power unit. For the squad led by Laurent Mekies, this represents the first year as a full works engine manufacturer, after definitively ending its long-standing partnership with Honda. Despite the many concerns that had surfaced in the months leading up to the Barcelona tests, the new engine appears to be particularly competitive.

The three top teams are currently enjoying encouraging signs from their power units. Based on the limited data gathered in Barcelona by those working closely in the paddock, Mercedes, Red Bull and Ferrari all seem to have a very solid starting point. The key question now is which of these teams will prove to be the most competitive once the season begins in Melbourne.

Ben Hodgkinson had been clear on the matter: whoever emerges at the front in Australia could be in a position to maintain that advantage for a long time.

The work carried out in Milton Keynes, in collaboration with Ford, appears to have impressed even George Russell. “We were a bit surprised by some of our rivals, especially by the Red Bull power unit,” he said. “It looks impressive, especially considering it’s the result of a completely new project. It’s also very reliable, so hats off to them.”

Russell: “The W17? Well, it doesn’t look like a disaster”

The British driver then joked about Mercedes’ new car. “Obviously, it has to be said that we’ve only driven it for a few days,” George Russell explained. “But, quoting Toto [Wolff], it doesn’t look like a disaster, which is already a positive. And to be honest, at this early stage you usually know straight away if a car could be really bad, and you can quickly identify those negative aspects. In this case, we don’t think that’s true, but it’s too early to talk about the world championship.”

After praising Red Bull, George Russell also had words of appreciation for Maranello. “Haas has also completed a lot of laps using the Ferrari engine. The truth is that we could be heading towards a really good fight at the front, but for now we’re happy with what we have in our hands.”

George Russell’s candid assessment of the 2026 grid highlights a surprisingly balanced start to Formula 1’s newest era, where the expected “teething problems” for new manufacturers like Red Bull Ford Powertrains have yet to materialize. By acknowledging the strength of both the Red Bull engine and the high-mileage consistency of the Ferrari-powered cars, Russell is framing the upcoming season as a potential three-way fight for supremacy. While Mercedes remains quietly confident in their own W17 package, the “surprising” reliability of their rivals suggests that the journey to the Australian Grand Prix will be a high-stakes development race where no team can afford to be complacent.

George Russell has therefore identified Red Bull and Ferrari as formidable opponents following the Barcelona shakedown, noting that the new engines from both manufacturers appear both reliable and competitive as the field heads toward the final tests in Bahrain.