George Russell Max Verstappen Mercedes Red Bull

Arnab Bose

CHECKOUT: Here’s Why George Russell Believes Red Bull’s Sheer Dominance Won’t Go On Till 2026

Team Red Bull has reached all-new heights of dominance in the current cost cap era. They have won 24 of the last 25 races. That’s how huge the impact of the RB18 and RB19 has been for the team. Undoubtedly, RB19 is even faster than its predecessor. Last season, Red Bull managed to win 17 races, but in 2023, they plan to win 22 of 22 races (excluding the Emilia Romagna Grand Prix, which did not happen due to the heavy flood in Imola).

The credit also goes to the unbelievable talent of the current double-time champion, Max Verstappen. He has won 37 races in the past two and a half years. It has been an unprecedented level of dominance never seen before in Formula One. However, recently, George Russell, the 25-year-old Mercedes driver, raised hopes of the F1 fans all around the world. He believes fans can expect to see more competitive seasons in the coming years.

   

George Russell Believes The Austrian Team Won’t Dominate Till 2026

Max Verstappen
Max Verstappen and George Russell into battle

The young Mercedes driver believes things will look a lot different due to the 2026 regulation changes. Recently, in an interview with PlanetF1, George Russell mentioned the huge improvements of Aston Martin and McLaren this year, raising a lot of hopes. However, it is going to be difficult because Red Bull will continue to grow stronger with time and seasons. But the fact is even Red Bull had to catch Mercedes in 2021, in an era where the Brackley team dominated the grid for eight years.

Adding to that, George Russell mentioned nobody saw that coming either. Red Bull shocked everybody as they took the hegemony from Mercedes in 2022. But things changed in 2021 when Red Bull came with the fastest car. The Mercedes driver mentioned that they will push to achieve that same feat. But Russell is unwilling to promise anything about the next year. It is essential to take one race at a time. Moreover, getting the right information is essential to make the right decision for the current stage, as it will go on till the Bahrain test next year. 

Fans Have Only Seen Mercedes And Red Bull Dominate The Grid Since 2010

Toto Wolff Mercedes Christian Horner Red Bull
Toto Wolff Mercedes Christian Horner Red Bull Source: RacingNews365

Max Verstappen and Red Bull are on the verge of breaking several records in the sport and making some of their own. Moreover, Red Bull has won 15 races in a row, stretching back to last year. But the Austrian team does not look to stop here as they want to go on and stay unbeaten for as long as they can. They would be the first team to win all races in a season. McLaren, in 1988, with Ayrton Senna and Alain Prost, fell one race short of achieving this record.

Later, in 2016, Mercedes fell two races short of reaching the same feat. However, the current status of Mercedes is nothing compared to its dominant status during the turbo-hybrid era. Moreover, the German team won eight constructor titles in a row from 2014 to 2021, making them the most successful team in recent times. However, since 2022, Red Bull has taken over the hegemony of their rivals. On top of that, since 2010, it has been only Red Bull and Mercedes who have been at the peak of dominance.