Jun.22 (GMM) Mercedes believes it has identified the root cause of the reliability problems that have begun to threaten its dominant 2026 campaign.
The issue came into sharper focus when championship leader Kimi Antonelli retired from the Spanish GP with an electrical failure, continuing a series of reliability setbacks for Mercedes-powered cars.
Technical director James Allison confirmed reports that the problems are linked to the battery system.
“I think anyone who’s a keen watcher of the sport will have seen that this has laid a few Mercedes engine cars low over the season so far,” he said.
“They’re not all identical, but they do sort of originate in the same broad part of the battery.”
Mercedes refers to the battery as the “module”, and Allison says fixes are already being prepared.
“I think that most of the areas of risk have been understood and, with a bit of luck, when we start to phase in the new modules into the racing season, then our fortunes as a fleet should pick up,” said Allison.
The comments are significant given growing concern inside Mercedes after a string of failures despite the team’s commanding position at the top of both championships.
Allison admitted reliability remains a constant balancing act in Formula 1.
“You accept that there will be failure,” he said.
“We try to make sure that failure happens in testing or on rigs and that it happens as little as possible when you’re out there trying to earn championship points.”
While Mercedes works on reliability, it is also preparing a response to Ferrari’s dramatic step forward in Barcelona, where Lewis Hamilton took his first win for the Scuderia.
“Ferrari bring an upgrade package to a race unanswered by one of our own, then it will close the gap,” Allison said.
“Of course, we’re not without guns in this fight and, in due course, our car will receive its own upgrades.”
