Mercedes will not be able to catch their rivals off guard this time when the new engines arrive for F1 2026.

That is the prediction made by 1997 World Champion Jacques Villeneuve, who hushed the talk of Mercedes once more creating the superior engine.

Mercedes engine to be cream of the crop in F1 2026?

For next season, the Formula 1 rulebook is undergoing a major makeover on both the chassis and engine side.

The F1 2026 cars will be smaller and 30kg lighter than their predecessors, and will utilise active aerodynamics, as DRS bows out from the sport.

These cars will be powered by redesigned engines, which will feature a 50/50 split between electrical power and an internal combustion engine running on sustainable biofuel.

The current engines have been subject to a development freeze

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