Mercedes claims ninth constructors title after Antonelli wins drivers crown

Mercedes claimed its ninth constructors’ championship at the Brazilian Grand Prix, one week after Kimi Antonelli became Formula 1’s youngest drivers’ champion. The Silver Arrows secured this title under new chassis and power unit regulations for 2026, following a difficult ground-effect era where they managed only seven victories from 2022 to 2025. Team principal Toto Wolff insists the squad was not "complete losers" during that lean period, arguing that the statistics prove their resilience despite the lack of titles.

Statistical defense of the lean years

Wolff argues that looking back at the numbers reveals a far stronger performance than the absence of championships suggests. The team finished third, second, fourth, and second successively between 2022 and 2025, securing many race wins in those campaigns. He notes that while it felt bad at the time, the sheer volume of results counters the narrative of total failure. "When you look at the statistics, it wasn’t that we were complete losers over those four years," Wolff stated, emphasizing the importance of perspective when evaluating long-term organizational growth. The difficulty lay in the process of understanding why the car was wrong, creating a significant back-and-forth for the engineering staff.

Rare recovery in sports history

The current season saw Mercedes take 12 victories alone, a stark contrast to the previous generation of cars where they never truly challenged Red Bull or McLaren. This resurgence places the team in a very small group of sports dynasties that have recovered after a consecutive run of championships followed by a difficult spell. Wolff expressed pride in being part of this elite cohort, noting that few teams achieve such a comeback in any sport. The ninth title equals Williams’ record in F1 history, leaving Mercedes just one crown away from McLaren. Ferrari remains the all-time leader with 16 constructors’ titles, but the gap is now measurable rather than insurmountable. The team’s ability to hold together through tough times clearly defined their character during the transition to the new ruleset.