When discussing Mercedes’ superiority, the conversation often focuses on raw engine power. However, one particular strength of the Brixworth-built power unit has become increasingly evident throughout the 2026 Formula 1 season: its exceptional energy deployment.
Deployment refers to the strategy used to manage and deliver the electrical energy from the ERS, a crucial factor in maximizing acceleration and maintaining speed along the straights, especially during overtaking opportunities.
Lewis Hamilton highlighted this advantage after the Austrian Grand Prix.
“They have incredible power at the end of the straights,” the Ferrari driver told reporters after the race. He then described exactly what he was experiencing behind the wheel: “At a certain point, I was falling behind while they just kept pulling away.”
His comments pointed to a significant speed difference between Ferrari’s SF-26 and Mercedes’ W17 as both cars approached the braking zones.
Telemetry confirms Mercedes’ advantage as Ferrari falls behind
To verify Lewis Hamilton’s observations, FormulaPassion.it telemetry expert Federico Albano carried out a detailed analysis of the Austrian Grand Prix data. The focus was placed on the section where the performance gap was most evident throughout the weekend: the straight between Turns 3 and 4 at the Red Bull Ring.
Albano explained: “The traction phase is very similar between all three cars. In fact, Hamilton exits Turn 3 particularly well, giving him an even stronger initial acceleration. However, from around the midpoint of the straight, the telemetry traces begin to separate clearly. Before the clipping phase begins, Andrea Kimi Antonelli’s Mercedes and Max Verstappen’s Red Bull are almost identical in top speed, while Hamilton is already around 12 km/h slower.”
“From that point until the braking zone, Red Bull and Ferrari both enter a significant clipping phase, while Mercedes experiences only minimal clipping. All three drivers keep the throttle fully open, but their speeds begin to drop as the power unit gradually reduces the electrical assistance. Ferrari, despite already trailing its rivals, loses even more performance, arriving at the braking point a remarkable 21 km/h slower than the Mercedes. It’s also worth noting that these figures were recorded even though Hamilton was actually the last of the three drivers to lift off the throttle.”
The lap used for the comparison came from Austrian Grand Prix qualifying, but the same trend was visible throughout virtually every lap of the race.
On the straight between Turns 3 and 4 alone, Lewis Hamilton was losing more than one tenth of a second to Max Verstappen and between one and a half and two tenths to Andrea Kimi Antonelli.
In the end, the telemetry fully supports Lewis Hamilton’s comments. By the end of the straight, the Mercedes is, quite simply, a rocket.
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