Mercedes frames ninth constructors’ title as the start of a new era

Mercedes says the points it scored in São Paulo were enough to secure its ninth Formula One constructors’ title, five years after the end of its eight consecutive championships from 2014 to 2021. In its retrospective, the team presents the 2026 crown as a distinct achievement, not a continuation of that run.

That earlier run was built around Lewis Hamilton, Nico Rosberg and Valtteri Bottas, and a generation of hybrid-era machinery. The ground-effect regulations introduced in 2022 proved a challenge. George Russell won in the W13’s first season, but Mercedes could not find a consistent route back to the front. Red Bull took the next two constructors’ titles, before McLaren emerged as the sport’s leading force in 2024 and 2025.

Mercedes saw the 2026 regulations as a fresh opportunity. George Russell provided experience and continuity, while Kimi Antonelli, in his second season, emerged as one of the championship’s defining figures. Antonelli had already secured the Drivers’ Championship in Mexico City by the time the teams arrived in Brazil; Mercedes led Ferrari by 126 points in the constructors’ standings.