Mercedes is considering reducing the number of teams it supplies with power units in the coming years. Currently, the Brackley-based manufacturer provides engines to four cars on the grid, including its own team and three customer teams. This situation will remain unchanged in 2026, with Alpine taking the place of Aston Martin, which will switch to Honda engines.
However, for the next regulatory cycle, Mercedes has decided to scale back this strategy. The team is likely to supply two or three customer teams, depending on how future regulations develop. The decision is also driven by industrial considerations: supplying a large number of teams involves longer delivery times and heavier production cycles, with up to 16 engines to manage over a season.
Reducing the number of customer teams will allow Mercedes to focus on production quality and workload management, while maintaining a competitive advantage on the track. At the same time, this decision opens opportunities for other manufacturers, such as Honda, which are considering expanding their own customer programs in the future.
Mercedes continues to balance the benefits of having many cars powered by its engines with the organizational complexities this entails, preparing the team for a new cycle of technical and sporting development.