Speaking on an Austrian television show, Sebastian Vettel shared his views on who will win the 2026 Formula 1 World Championship and also commented on the criticisms made by Lewis Hamilton.
It has been said repeatedly for some time now: the clear favorite to win the 2026 title is Mercedes. The Silver Arrows appear to have the best overall package and power unit combination on the grid, even though the W17 experienced some issues during the first Bahrain tests. For this reason, many experts believe that George Russell has an excellent opportunity in the upcoming season.
A former world champion backs George Russell for the 2026 title
This prediction is supported by former four-time world champion Sebastian Vettel. Speaking to Servus TV, the ex-Ferrari driver expressed his opinion on who will win the next championship. “George Russell and Mercedes will win,” stated Sebastian Vettel.
Sebastian Vettel then explained why Lewis Hamilton has strongly criticized the new regulations. “We are talking about a very experienced driver who is able to understand situations in the best possible way. I am convinced that we will soon see performance stabilizing, as already happened in 2013 and 2014,” added the German, before giving some advice to Formula 1. “At the moment, there are a lot of fans following the sport. For this reason, I believe it is necessary to find a way to clearly explain what lies behind these cars.”
Sebastian Vettel’s endorsement of George Russell and Mercedes for the 2026 title highlights the massive expectations currently resting on the shoulders of the Brackley squad. By looking past the romanticism of Lewis Hamilton’s move to Ferrari, Vettel is focusing on the cold, hard engineering reality that often dictates the start of a new F1 era. His defense of the Briton’s technical critiques further suggests that while the 2026 cars may be controversial, the input of veteran champions will be the key to refining them. Ultimately, if Vettel’s prediction holds true, the 2026 season won’t just be a change of rules—it will be the official coronation of George Russell as the new king of the Silver Arrows.
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