Mercedes wins 2026 title as Wolff probes balance issues

Mercedes secured the 2026 Constructors’ Championship at Interlagos, yet team principal Toto Wolff announced an immediate investigation into severe balance issues that plagued both drivers. The German marque won the title despite an incident-ridden race where George Russell and Kimi Antonelli spun out of podium contention. This victory masks a technical crisis that left the team unable to challenge Isack Hadjar’s Red Bull for third place during the final stint.

Strange behavior on intermediates

Russell admitted he was "at a loss" to explain why his car pointed in the wrong direction at the pit lane exit on Lap 14. Three laps later, Antonelli lost control at Turn 1 while leading the race, having passed Lando Norris at the start. Both drivers reported that their W17 cars behaved strangely on intermediate tires, leaving them with no pace despite a late rain shower bringing them back into contention. Russell suggested a potentially irrecoverable spike in tire temperatures occurred on their out-laps on the green-walled compound. He noted that as the first onto the intermediates, they may have damaged the tires on the driest track, causing temps to rise in a negative spiral. This remains the only explanation available so far, though the team has not confirmed it.

Pressure and set-up errors

Wolff believes the issue is intrinsically related to tire pressures or the chosen set-up direction. He acknowledged that both drivers were given a very tricky car, noting that neither typically spins in the pit lane. Wolff observed that the rear tires were completely worn while the fronts looked new, indicating something the team had not spotted. He stated that Max Verstappen reported similar strange behavior, suggesting a broader problem with the conditions. Despite the confusion, Mercedes walked away with a positive mindset after winning the championship. The team will analyze the data to find the root cause of this erratic performance.