The battle for the title could quickly turn into a technological duel between Mercedes and McLaren. Guenther Steiner believes that the development of the cars will be the key element of the 2026 season.
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After four rounds contested this season, Mercedes still appears as the benchmark on the grid. The German team has won all the races so far and Kimi Antonelli is already impressing with a series of three consecutive wins.
But behind the Silver Arrows, McLaren is gaining ground at high speed. The British team has made significant progress since the start of the year and now seems to be the main threat to Mercedes.
The Miami weekend confirmed this rise. Lando Norris converted his Sprint pole position into a victory, ahead of Oscar Piastri, offering an encouraging one-two for McLaren.
This result reinforces the idea that the Woking team currently has one of the most developable cars on the paddock.
A development battle announced
According to Guenther Steiner, the outcome of the championship could now depend on the teams’ ability to advance their car faster than their rivals.
The former Haas boss believes that Mercedes and McLaren will engage in a real war of technical developments throughout the season.
“I think it will be close all year because McLaren brought a lot of developments in Miami, while Mercedes has practically introduced nothing” explains Steiner in the Red Flags podcast.
The Italian also points out that Mercedes is already preparing a major update for the next Canadian Grand Prix, which could reshuffle the cards again.
“Mercedes is aiming for a big package of developments for Canada, so we will have to wait and see. I think the real battle will mainly concern the team capable of developing the fastest and best.”
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McLaren confirms its reputation
For two seasons, McLaren has built a solid reputation in terms of technical development. The British team regularly manages to transform its cars through very effective aerodynamic packages.
Miami further illustrated this trend. While Red Bull and Ferrari also introduced several important novelties, McLaren seemed to reap an immediate benefit from its developments.
Mercedes, on the other hand, deliberately waited before launching a major update. A strategy that could nevertheless allow the German team to strike hard in Montreal.
The new regulations still favor quick gains
For Steiner, the current regulatory context also plays an essential role in this technological battle. With a still recent regulation, teams are still discovering new performance areas.
“Mercedes remains ahead despite the fact that they have not yet brought as many important developments as McLaren, reminds Steiner. Today, if you succeed with your developments, they can really transform a car’s performance.”
The former team principal also specifies that it is currently easier for engineers to find lap time than at the end of a regulatory cycle.
“Since it is still a new regulation, teams are learning a lot. It is not easy, but it is much more accessible to find performance now than it will be in three years.”
As the Canadian Grand Prix approaches, everything indicates that the fight between Mercedes and McLaren could quickly become one of the great technical sagas of this 2026 season.
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