Engine Manufacturers: How Teams Look Heading into the Chinese Grand Prix Weekend

After rumours surrounding performance that clouded pre-season testing and the Formula 1 off-season, we finally have the first concrete sign of performance from the engine manufacturers under the new regulations. Mercedes took a decisive 1-2 victory, while Aston Martin, with Honda, were barely able to take the chequered flag.

Mercedes

Without a doubt, Mercedes came into the Australian Grand Prix weekend as the favourites. With their compression-ratio loophole still under discussion, teams and fans alike were eager to see whether the Silver Arrows would be back on top.

The practice sessions were murky, with the Brackley team consistently being accused of sandbagging. However, when it came time to qualify, all the sandbags came off, revealing the engine's true performance.

Mercedes stormed to a front-row lockout, something that was exceedingly rare under the previous set of regulations. The closest competitor was 0.8 tenths behind. Up and down the grid, drivers were talking about how untouchable the Mercedes seemed after turning up their engines for qualifying.

Though the quick start in the race caught them off guard and cost them ground to Ferrari, by the end of the race, they were back on top with a comfortable margin.

The victory marked a turning point for Mercedes, leaving behind the woes of the 2022 season and taking up the mantle of the championship favourites. There are still criticisms and qualms over Mercedes’ engine loophole, which may be the only thing that could ruin the team’s run to victory.

However, McLaren, Williams, and Alpine all struggled for performance compared to Mercedes, despite being customer teams of the Silver Arrows. Lando Norris was the highest-placed Mercedes engine customer, finishing fifth, 51 seconds behind Lewis Hamilton’s Ferrari.

Being a customer team means you receive the same engine modes and equipment, but the way each team chooses to use them is unique. James Vowles, team principal of Williams, said that Mercedes caught them ‘off guard’ with how they were using their engine, and it’s clear that the Brackley team is significantly ahead of their customers and competitors.

Ferrari

Ferrari is always a mystery coming into the season. Historically, they have always performed well under new regulations – much like in 2022, when they led the championship. However, their kryptonite is development, and their strategy, as the season progresses.

In testing, much like Mercedes, it was clear the pace was there, as they stole headlines by topping sessions and showcasing interesting technology like their revolving rear wing. But the key to success in 2026 would depend on engine performance. One of the key engine details in testing that caught people’s eye was how quick Lewis Hamilton’s race starts were considerably faster and more consistent than those of other teams.

They flipped between seeming competitive and not in practice, and then in the early stages of qualifying. Settling for an insignificant fourth and seventh starting positions. However, by the first corner of the Australian Grand Prix, Ferrari found themselves first and third after an outstanding start. Leclerc and Russell battle each other consistently over the first few laps, with the Ferrari able to keep up with the Silver Arrows’ pace.

By the end of the Grand Prix, it felt as though a win may have been possible for the prancing horses, though maybe not in Australia, the season is long. However, their engines are still a step behind Mercedes'.

Much like Mercedes, Ferrari’s customer teams are behind the Maranello squad. However, they appeared more in line with team expectations. Ollie Bearman scored points for Haas, and his teammate Esteban Ocon fought hard with Pierre Gasly for the final points position but narrowly missed out.

After Australia, it seems that Ferrari’s engines are second to Mercedes, but the gap between them is significant. 

Red Bull

Red Bull is one of the few teams that remains an enigma. While Max Verstappen and Isack Hadjar showed strong pace throughout testing and practice sessions, their weekend was far from perfect. While Isack Hadjar took third in qualifying, fans and the team failed to see what Max Verstappen could do behind the wheel of the RB22 after he crashed in Q1.

This left the Dutchman fighting from the back of the grid, where he recovered to sixth. His climb through the order was a positive sign for the Red Bull engine, as Verstappen himself pointed out, it was more like ‘clearing traffic’ than fighting for position with his pace advantage. However, it was only in the closing stages of the race that he caught Lando Norris’ McLaren, so it was hard to judge the true performance from the PU.

Another sign that left Red Bull’s position in the order in question was Isack Hadjar’s struggles. After a difficult start, which had him drop from third to fifth, he was then forced to pull over on the side of the track following an engine issue. The first sign of potential reliability issues in the front-runner teams.  

With just one race done, there’s no assurance on how serious or light the engine issue may be, but it puts Red Bull’s potential under question as the season gets underway.

As in previous seasons, Red Bull’s customer team, Racing Bulls, has performed similarly, with Arvid Lindblad finishing eighth, not far behind Verstappen on track. While Red Bull has the edge as the works team, the Racing Bulls are still in the fight.

Audi

Facing a rebrand and the first year as an engine manufacturer, there were expectations that 2026 would be the German team’s opportunity to climb through the ranks, taking advantage of the regulation changes. So far, they’ve had a steady performance sitting towards the back of the points but firmly in the running.

The weekend started strongly, with Audi making it into Q3 in the first qualifying session of the season. However, ahead of the start of the race, Nico Hülkenberg, the more experienced of the Audi line-up, was forced to retire due to a technical issue.

Gabriel Bortoleto carried the team on his own in the race, taking the German team to their first points of the season, which came as a surprise and delight to Bortoleto, who spoke of difficulties the team faced over the off-season.

However, there are still unknowns regarding the technical issue Hülkenberg faced and its potential impact on the rest of the season.

Honda

Aston Martin entered 2026 with arguably the highest expectations, with Adrian Newey behind their car design in the new regulations. However, their Honda power unit has been the source of nothing but strife for the Silverstone-based team.

Early reports and comments from Australia raised questions about whether either Aston Martin car would race at all, with Adrian Newey citing a vibration issue that could leave the drivers with nerve damage after a full race distance. Due to engine vibration, they’re also unable to run at full power, putting them at an immediate disadvantage.

In qualifying, they took 17th and 22nd, not hopeful for the 58 laps around Albert Park. Despite climbing to tenth in the opening laps, Fernando Alonso was called into the pits after the first VSC to assess the car. Initially, he went out to collect data, but not long after, he retired for good.

While Lance Stroll didn’t suffer the same fate of a DNF, he too came into the pits briefly before going back out and finishing the race 15 laps behind the Mercedes out front.

It’s clear that, despite hopes for a championship or a fight at the front, Aston Martin is left to fix glaring issues with their Honda power unit, which, until fixed, leaves the Silverstone team looking at an uncompetitive year.

A look at 2026

With just one round complete, the order is likely to shift as teams work out the initial kinks and issues that come with new engine regulations. However, Mercedes has shown themselves to be the team to beat, with Ferrari fighting in their wake.

Reliability will likely have a significant impact on the season, with signs of engine issues already appearing among manufacturers across the grid.

Unlike last year, when McLaren, a customer team, decisively beat its work team, Mercedes, it feels as though customers will take the back seat in 2026. Yet, with such a significant overhaul in regulations, only time will tell who succeeds and who falls to the bottom of the order.
 

Tickets and hospitality packages for the 2026 British Grand Prix are on sale now.