Mercedes confirms 2026 focus after F1 summer break

Mercedes-AMG Petronas F1 Team Principal, Toto Wolff, has confirmed that the team will start to turn their focus onto the 2026 car after the annual summer break. 

Feature image credit: Mercedes-AMG Petronas F1

Formula 1 will start the second half of the season this weekend at the Belgian Grand Prix, round 13 of 24, and Mercedes’ team boss has confirmed the team will begin to shift their focus onto the 2026 car after the annual summer break. 

Next year will see an overhaul in the regulations with new technical and power unit regulations coming into play in 2026. The cars will be marginally smaller and thinner, and more agile, with more powerful hybrid engines. 

Wolff confirmed the team will continue to work on the 2025 car to get it into a good place, before shifting focus, after performing well on some circuit, and struggling on others. He said: 

“In the first 12 races of the season, we have been at front of the field on several occasions. At others, we have struggled. We have focused our energies on improving this delta, working hard to ensure we can be competitive at all events. 

“Post shutdown, our attention will inevitably turn further towards 2026 though. These next two races are therefore important in ensuring we get the W16 into as good a place as possible across varying tracks and conditions.”

Embed from Getty Images

Across the season so far, Mercedes have enjoyed a race win – George Russell, Canada, 6 podiums, one pole position and one sprint pole. 

The upcoming race weekend will ignite the final double-header before the two-week annual summer break which will take place after the Hungarian Grand Prix, next week, before F1 heads to the Dutch Grand Prix for its penultimate appearance on the calendar. 

As such, the team will be looking to head into the break with momentum for the second half of the season with the aim for strong results, whilst trying to remain competitive across all the remaining rounds on the calendar.

“Spa and the Hungaroring are useful venues for helping us continue that work,” Wolff continued.

“They are different in character; Spa with its elevation changes, high-speed corners, and changeable weather contrasts with the tight, twisty circuit layout of Budapest that often sees some of the highest track temperatures of the year. 

“We will aim to make good steps with the car whilst optimising each weekend and fighting for strong results.”

FIA confirm further post-race checks ahead of Belgian Grand Prix

Last time out, Mercedes went on to win the Belgian GP in 2024 at the hands of Lewis Hamilton, in his final year with the team. However, it was Russell who took the chequered flag first as the Briton was later disqualified for being underweight, post-race.

The Belgian Grand Prix will get underway this weekend with the sole practice session set to get going on Friday at 12:30pm local.

Read more Formula 1 here:

• FIA confirm further post-race checks ahead of Belgian Grand Prix
• Schedule: what are the official timings for the Belgian Grand Prix?
• 4 Talking Points for F1 Belgian Grand Prix
• Weather report: the latest ahead of the F1 Belgian Grand Prix
• Max Verstappen pays tribute to Christian Horner after sacking
• Red Bull Racing boss Christian Horner axed as Laurent Mekies takes over

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Kamron Kent

Hi, I’m Kamron. I created ApexMotorsports.co.uk in the dying embers of the 2021 Formula 1 world championship. It allowed me freedom to write whatever I wanted to write about which was all things motorsports, my passion.

I have put a lot of effort in over the years to keep this website in its best shape and I’ve loved seeing the brand grow consistently, month-on-month, year-on-year. My ambition is to keep watching this brand grow into a primary outlet of news for all things motorsports whilst fueling my desire to pursue a career in sports journalism, specialising in motorsports.

Kamron Kent

Hi, I'm Kamron. I created ApexMotorsports.co.uk in the dying embers of the 2021 Formula 1 world championship. It allowed me freedom to write whatever I wanted to write about which was all things motorsports, my passion. I have put a lot of effort in over the years to keep this website in its best shape and I've loved seeing the brand grow consistently, month-on-month, year-on-year. My ambition is to keep watching this brand grow into a primary outlet of news for all things motorsports whilst fueling my desire to pursue a career in sports journalism, specialising in motorsports.