Former F1 driver Martin Brundle has suggested the on-track battle between Mercedes and McLaren could get “feisty” this year.
McLaren has enjoyed a strong run of form across the last two seasons, winning back-to-back constructors’ championships.
It also triumphed in the fight for the drivers’ title last year with Lando Norris, with all of its recent success coming while using a Mercedes power unit.
As Mercedes look to return to the forefront of the pecking order this year, Brundle suggested the team will be eager to establish itself over its customer team.
“Can you imagine when Toto goes into a board meeting at Mercedes HQ, and they mention that McLaren, their customer team, has won the last two world championships,” Brundle told Sky F1.
“In 2025, they absolutely dominated it with nearly twice as many points as the next runner. I don’t think Toto enjoys that a whole lot.
“He’s a supremely competitive man, and he’ll be looking to put one over on McLaren.”
The Mercedes power unit proved to be reliable at the Barcelona shakedown event last week, tallying over 1,100 laps with Mercedes, McLaren and Alpine.
The Mercedes team is the early pick of many for success this year - but as McLaren look to defend its title success, Brundle thinks the battle could become intense.
“The regulations control how they can’t just be the works team and then give the customer teams a substandard product. It’s very, very tightly controlled in that respect,” he said.
“They’ve had advanced knowledge of pretty much everything on that power unit, as it’s been developed and used in the simulator for months and months now.
“I’m sure they only tell McLaren what they have to tell them as late as they can get away with, you’d imagine - I would if I were them.
“That supremely competitive, Mercedes will be desperate to beat McLaren this year, and McLaren, of course, vice versa.
“That could get pretty feisty. But then if Mercedes can’t win with their car, they’d rather it be another team with their power unit.”
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