Thursday was busy behind the scenes in Formula 1 ahead of the Austrian GP. Mercedes drew much of the attention, with technical updates, driver comments, and a direct impact on the market for 2027.
George Russell returned to the forefront of the news by stating that he will stay with Mercedes next season. The Briton said there will be no announcement this weekend, but guaranteed that he will be in the team in 2027, a scenario that reduces the chances of a possible move by Max Verstappen to Brackley. The trend also reinforces the lineup with Russell and Kimi Antonelli, the current championship leader.
Mercedes also arrives at the Red Bull Ring with significant changes. Antonelli confirmed the use of a new power unit and an updated battery pack after reliability problems in the latest races, including his retirement in Barcelona and Russell’s retirement in Canada. Additionally, the team had to adjust the diffuser of the W17 following a new FIA directive, prompted by questions about a solution used in the Canadian GP.
The Austrian GP TL1 will also feature a strong presence of young drivers. Six rookies will take part in the session: Dino Beganovic for Ferrari, Luke Browning for Williams, Paul Aron for Audi, Ryo Hirakawa for Haas, Jak Crawford for Aston Martin, and Ayumu Iwasa for Racing Bulls. The activity will take place on a weekend that promises high temperatures at the Red Bull Ring.
At Haas, the decision was one of caution. The team decided to delay using the new Ferrari power unit, even though the update is already available to the Italian manufacturer’s customers. Chief Ayao Komatsu did not explain the reasons nor indicate when the new engine would be incorporated, while Ferrari seeks to use the evolution to strengthen its challenge against Mercedes.
