Former Method 1 driver Anthony Davidson believes Mercedes’ mounting reliability issues have handed Ferrari a viable path to the championship, suggesting that the Maranello outfit can depend on its “bulletproof” equipment.
Davidson assessed the championship image after the ninth spherical of the 2026 season, the British Grand Prix, the place Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc gained. The Monegasque driver was joined on the rostrum by Mercedes’ George Russell in second and his Ferrari team-mate Lewis Hamilton in third.
Mercedes driver and present championship chief Kimi Antonelli had seemed set to combat Leclerc for the win at Silverstone. However a dislodged wheel defend hampered his race. As he battled together with his damaged automobile, struggling to maintain it on monitor, the Italian completed fifteenth after a monitor limits penalty.
In consequence, Russell is now solely 25 factors behind his team-mate within the standings. Hamilton and Leclerc comply with in third and fourth within the championship, seven and 46 factors behind Russell, respectively.
“George Russell is inside a one-race victory of factors behind, it is 25 factors,” Davidson defined on the Sky Sports activities F1 Present. “The reliability points, they have to be greater than a priority for Mercedes.
Charles Leclerc, Ferrari, George Russell, Mercedes
Picture by: Manuel Eletto / Getty Pictures
“And Ferrari as a crew, they have to be pondering, ‘Properly, even when we do not have the quickest automobile, possibly we are able to depend on this for the remainder of the season.’ As a result of up to now, they have been bulletproof.”
Whereas Mercedes has gained seven of the primary 9 grands prix this season, each Russell and Antonelli have suffered retirements. Russell retired from the lead of the Canadian Grand Prix with a battery concern and Antonelli was pressured to retire from second on the Barcelona-Catalunya Grand Prix on account of {an electrical} shutdown and engine failure.
Ferrari nonetheless has some work to do within the constructors’ championship. Mercedes leads with 333 factors and the Fred Vasseur-led crew follows in second with 255 factors. McLaren sits third with 179 factors.
We wish your opinion!
What would you prefer to see on Motorsport.com?
– The Motorsport.com Staff
