Guenther Steiner reckons Mercedes have got the perfect setup heading into the second half of 2026, and it's got absolutely nothing to do with their car. Instead, the veteran team principal thinks the Silver Arrows are sitting pretty because their two main rivals are at each other's throats. With both McLaren and Ferrari bringing fresh upgrades to the Dutch Grand Prix, you'd think they're closing in on Mercedes. But Steiner's got a different take on how this three-way battle is actually playing out.

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McLaren are rolling out a new rear wing at Zandvoort after Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri struggled with their current setup, while Ferrari are bringing a floor upgrade after reviewing their Barcelona spec. On paper, both teams look ready to mount a serious challenge to Mercedes. Ferrari are even quietly confident about their package given the twisty nature of Zandvoort. But here's where Steiner's argument gets interesting. He reckons Mercedes don't need to worry because McLaren and Ferrari keep stealing points from each other instead of ganging up on the championship leaders.

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Speaking on The Red Flags Podcast, Steiner laid it out plain and simple. Ferrari and McLaren are scrapping to be number one, which means they're constantly nicking points off each other. He pointed out that McLaren's Hungary win meant Ferrari fell further behind Mercedes, when if McLaren hadn't been there, Ferrari could've closed the gap. That's the dynamic that's actually benefiting Mercedes right now.

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The other issue Steiner mentioned is that Mercedes still have George Russell to sort out as a consistent point scorer, which is their current weak spot. But honestly, that's almost a luxury problem compared to what their rivals are dealing with. As long as Ferrari and McLaren keep battling each other for supremacy, Mercedes get to sit back, laugh, and rake in the points. It's a clever observation about how championship fights don't always follow the most obvious script.

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