Mercedes has won all three grands prix and the China sprint in the opening three weekends of the 2026 Formula 1 season, and data show Mercedes holds about a 0.56s qualifying and 0.53s per-lap race advantage over nearest rival Ferrari.
Ferrari is the closest pursuer but weak starts have often produced close on-track battles; even when rivals close in, they lack the sustained pace to challenge Mercedes in clean air.
Historic comparisons underline the scale of the gap: McLaren in 2025 and Red Bull in 2023 held roughly 0.19s advantages over rivals, while Mercedes has matched or exceeded gaps seen in 2020, 2016 and peaked in 2014.
The season suggests Mercedes' superiority is reaching historic proportions and the key question is how quickly Ferrari, McLaren, and Red Bull can close a deficit that previously took four years to overturn after the hybrid era.
This summary is based on coverage by Motorsport.
Read the full article at Motorsport.
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