On a weekend where Mercedes could win the 2026 F1 title with Kimi Antonelli, George Russell has talked up Ferrari’s chances at the Mexico City Grand Prix.

The Maranello outfit will be looking to right the wrongs of the United States GP. They were backed as favourites to claim pole position after dominating in Friday’s practice and looking quick in Q1 and Q2.

However, Ferrari’s pace dropped dramatically come Q3 as Charles Leclerc and Lewis Hamilton qualified P4 and P5. They would finish second and fourth in the race, but they did not have the speed to match Mercedes and Red Bull.

George Russell says Ferrari will have an advantage in Mexico with their smaller turbocharger – he is wrong

At the Mexico City Grand Prix, the Maranello outfit will hope for a strong result, but the SF-26’s limitations could hinder them.

The engine is lacking power compared to its rivals, leaving the team to resort to other measures to improve pace. Ferrari are already relying on their floor upgrade to make up for their power unit in Mexico.

Another way the team could make strides forward, according to Russell, is with their turbocharger. Ferrari opted for a smaller design in 2026, and the Mercedes driver thinks this could give them an advantage.

He said, via quotes from Motorsport.com: “I think it’s going to be very interesting. I think turbo lag is going to be a big factor for a lot of teams this weekend.

“There’s obviously no secret that the likes of Ferrari have a smaller turbo than most, so they probably have quite an advantage in this regard. We’re not sure as yet how challenging it will be, but I can definitely foresee it being not straightforward.”

Russell’s statements are not true at all, as the high altitude in Mexico City is actually a disadvantage for Ferrari. On a circuit like this, teams need to compress as much air as possible, and a smaller turbocharger does not help do this.

The Maranello outfit are aware of this themselves. In fact, Ferrari even think Mexico could be their worst weekend of 2026, as the altitude will really expose the limitations of the small turbocharger.

The problem is that this is also not a quick fix. Ferrari ‘abandoned’ their design for a bigger turbocharger due to reliability concerns, and will instead focus on introducing the component in 2027.

That will give Leclerc and Hamilton some optimism for next season, but right now, especially in Mexico, their current design will do little to help catch the frontrunners, as much as Russell thinks it will.