Russell rolls back Mercedes package as Antonelli keeps updates

George Russell will return to an earlier Mercedes specification for the Singapore Grand Prix, while Kimi Antonelli keeps the team’s latest updates on his W17. The split gives Mercedes a direct comparison after it struggled to assess the new package in Sepang’s unusual conditions.

Russell sees little downside to reverting

Mercedes said the updated car produced more downforce through fast corners, but the rough surface in Sepang made its behaviour difficult to judge. Drivers also had to use throttle through the middle of corners to help balance the rear of the car.

Russell said he had raised the idea of switching back before the previous race. A power-unit component change means he will take a grid penalty in Singapore and is expected to start near the back, making the older specification a straightforward choice in his view.

He pointed to the differing results with the same car in Baku, Budapest and Zandvoort as evidence that performance can vary considerably from one event to another. Russell also said Mercedes’ pace relative to McLaren and Ferrari in Sepang was not markedly different, and considered the conditions specific to that event.

The Baku car is the one Russell used for his victory there. Readers can revisit Russell’s Azerbaijan GP win ahead of his attempt to make up ground in Singapore. His likely rear-of-grid start is also the focus of the Singapore recovery question.

Antonelli commits to the latest W17

Antonelli will stay with the Sepang updates throughout the weekend, even if early sessions suggest the older parts are just as competitive. The championship leader believes the new package offers a genuine improvement that was obscured by the conditions at the previous round.

He cited the rough track, sections where the surface was missing, and track temperatures above 60 degrees as factors that made Sepang an outlier. Singapore, he said, should provide a more representative test, with cooler conditions and a better tarmac surface. Its many slow corners will also give Mercedes a chance to assess an area where the team struggled in Sepang.

With two specifications running side by side, Mercedes hopes to understand the upgrade more clearly and put the car in a stronger position to use its potential.