Mercedes star George Russell has declared Red Bull's energy deployment the best on the Formula 1 grid heading into 2026. Pre-season testing concluded, revealing significant regulation changes for the season, including a power unit capable of storing more electrical energy, making battery harvesting crucial during races. This shift may require drivers to downshift on straights, a tactic that has drawn criticism from Max Verstappen, who likened it to 'Formula E on steroids', while Lando Norris finds it 'a lot of fun'.

Despite the controversy, rivals, including Toto Wolff, have lauded Red Bull's new in-house engine, calling it the 'benchmark' Mercedes 'could not match'. Russell echoed this sentiment, stating: 'Their deployment definitely still looks the best on the grid, which is kudos to them and I think was a bit of a surprise to everybody.' He anticipates the Mercedes-powered teams will close the gap significantly by the season opener in Melbourne, though he notes testing limitations compared to race weekends.