Mercedes began 2026 as the dominant force in Formula 1, but Johnny Herbert believes the team could face a new rival ahead. For the former F1 driver, McLaren has shown enough signs to become a concern in the second half of the season.
The German team has won eight of the eleven races held so far, and on track confirmed the domination expectations that existed before the championship began. Still, Herbert sees McLaren’s evolution, especially after the performance shown at the Hungarian Grand Prix, as a possible turning point.
“If I were in Kimi (Antonelli) and Mercedes’ shoes, my main worry right now would be McLaren,” Herbert told a betting platform. The former driver highlighted that, before the current August break, the British team seemed to show the most significant evolution and reach the present moment in a competitive position.
Herbert also considers that a potential McLaren recovery could alter the title fight and put Antonelli and Mercedes under a different kind of pressure: “It would be fantastic to see McLaren again in the Drivers’ Championship contention with Lando Norris. Then we would see how Antonelli and Mercedes would cope with the pressure. There could be another dramatic twist this season,” he added.
Despite this warning, Antonelli remains comfortably at the top of the standings. The Italian has a 50-point lead over his main pursuer, Lewis Hamilton, of Ferrari, as the next round will be the Dutch Grand Prix.
