Steiner backs Mercedes to return firing on all cylinders at Austrian GP despite Ferrari surge

Guenther Steiner has backed Mercedes to reassert its dominance at the Austrian Grand Prix this weekend, predicting the team will arrive at the Red Bull Ring with upgrades ready after Ferrari ended their unbeaten run at the Barcelona-Catalunya Grand Prix.

Speaking on The Red Flags Podcast ahead of the race weekend, the former Haas team principal dismissed the notion that Ferrari’s Barcelona victory signalled a sustained shift in the competitive order. Steiner argued that Mercedes, led by Toto Wolff, had been developing improvements in the background rather than reacting to rivals’ upgrades.

“I think Mercedes wasn’t waiting for somebody to get an upgrade,” Steiner said. “They keep on working… and they are not waiting until somebody’s better. So as soon as somebody gets better, they have got something in the bank to put in there. I think Mercedes is ready with some upgrades as well.”

When asked to name his standout performer for the Austrian round, Steiner was unequivocal in his choice. “Mercedes,” he said. “They will come back firing on all cylinders, not stopping out on the track, breaking down. They will be back to good old form and everybody will be back to reality after Barcelona.”

Barcelona marked the first race of the 2026 season not won by a Mercedes driver. Kimi Antonelli had delivered five consecutive victories in China, Japan, Miami, Canada and Monaco following George Russell’s season-opening win in Australia, before that streak was finally broken at the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya.

Mercedes currently leads the constructors’ championship with 262 points, 72 clear of Ferrari in second on 190, with McLaren third on 141. In the drivers’ standings, Antonelli holds a 41-point advantage over Ferrari’s Lewis Hamilton, with Russell a further nine points back in third and Charles Leclerc fourth, 31 points adrift of Hamilton.