Mercedes just won everything there is to win in Formula 1 this year. Its boss says that does not mean the next few years will be easy.
Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff played down talk of another era of dominance after the team clinched the constructors’ championship at the Sao Paulo Grand Prix on Sunday, Nov. 8, 2026. He said the fight for next year’s championship has already begun.
What did Toto Wolff say about 2027?
Wolff said Mercedes has won only one of the last five races and that the competition has grown tougher, with Ferrari, McLaren and Red Bull all able to win. Rival teams have closed the gap as the season has gone on.
He said four teams can win races and fight for a championship, and that he has no doubt next year will be very difficult. For him, he said, the 2027 season has already started.
Toto Wolff said the team will use the final three races to learn, including why recent upgrades did not work as expected, while preparing next year’s car and engine.
He noted that Kimi Antonelli stormed away at the start of Sunday’s race, making it look like Mercedes could win, before rivals closed in. Wet conditions made Sunday’s race one of the most unpredictable of the season, according to reports.
How did Mercedes win both titles?
Mercedes sealed the constructors’ title with three races left, a week after Antonelli clinched the drivers’ championship in Mexico City to become the sport’s youngest champion. It was a historic year for the team, which also had one of the sport’s most consistent cars.
The team got a head start this season when new engine rules took effect, giving it an early edge over its rivals. New regulations often reward the team that understands them first.
Why does Toto Wolff think dominance is over?
Wolff said the era of one team running away with titles under new rules, as Mercedes did starting in 2014 and Red Bull did starting in 2022, is a thing of the past.
He said top teams have become so professional and so well resourced that a team can go from dominant to third on the road within a few races if an upgrade fails. He said that makes long stretches of dominance far less likely.
Toto Wolff called it great for the sport, though he joked that he wishes Mercedes could run away with a few more titles.
Mercedes won eight straight constructors’ titles from 2014 through 2021. Red Bull dominated several seasons after the rules changed in 2022.
What is behind Mercedes’ success?
Toto Wolff credited the team’s culture, saying it does not blame individuals when things go wrong. He said the word he would choose is safety.
He said Mercedes is not an organization that hires and fires quickly, and that it lets people make mistakes and speak up. Those standards cannot just be written on a slide, he said, but must be lived every day. He said the team sometimes fails but keeps its focus on the future.
Toto Wolff said he is focused on the long run, adding that for him, soon means 10 years from now.
What comes next for Mercedes?
The season has three races left. George Russell has said he will give everything to rediscover his best form, while Antonelli enjoys his first title. Antonelli is expected to keep his number 12 rather than switch to No. 1 next season.
For Toto Wolff and Mercedes, the challenge now is staying ahead of rivals that are closing fast. Fans can expect a tight fight at the top next year.
