F1 in the Netherlands: The driver you most want to beat is your teammate

Mercedes started the 2026 F1 rules era strongly, but reliability problems and the strict cost cap have slowed its development pace.

At Zandvoort, McLaren’s effective upgrades helped Lando Norris beat Mercedes’ Kimi Antonelli and close the gap.

Aston Martin also showed progress with Honda’s engine update, though Fernando Alonso and Lance Stroll said more work is still needed.

The new-regulation battle shows that F1 success depends not only on outright speed, but also on upgrade efficiency, reliability, and cost-cap management.