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F1·June 19, 2026 01:47 PM ET

Mercedes' Allison, Davidson address upgrades and favouritism talk after Monaco, Barcelona

Title fight wide open after two strong races.

Wire Report IntelligenceUpdated Jun 191 min read
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.@MercedesAMGF1 Technical Director James Allison and development driver Anthony Davidson address the latest upgrades and

What happened: Mercedes technical director James Allison and development driver Anthony Davidson addressed the team's latest upgrade package and the social-media favouritism rumours that have circulated around its two drivers, following back-to-back races in Monaco and Barcelona. Allison pushed back directly on the suggestion that the team favours one driver over the other, framing it as a product of how invested fans are in the drivers they support.

Why it matters: The remarks land with the world championship fight wide open. Mercedes' strong recent form has pulled the team back into the title conversation, and how it manages two competitive drivers without internal friction could shape the rest of the season.

By the numbers: Barcelona produced an all-British top three on the podium — the first such 1-2-3 in roughly 60 years, per the team's own drivers.

What to watch: Watch whether Mercedes can carry the upgrade momentum into the next round and keep both drivers in the title hunt without favouritism flaring up again.

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