After introducing a brand new main improve package deal on the 2026 Components 1 Bahrain Grand Prix in Malaysia, Mercedes has slowly been undoing a lot of its work as a result of that package deal has not been as robust as hoped, in keeping with group principal Toto Wolff.
Whereas Wolff nonetheless believes the package deal represents a “step in the correct course,” he maintains that there’s nonetheless important work to be performed earlier than that improve could be thought of profitable.
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Toto Wolff essential of Mercedes W17 improve package deal
Heading into the Malaysian Grand Prix, Mercedes launched the W17’s second main improve of the F1 2026 season. Hopes had been excessive for its success, because the group’s earlier improve in Canada solely cemented its place as a front-running outfit.
As an alternative, the Sepang replace left lots to be desired. The group’s efficiency on the Circuit of The Americas solely served to strengthen that sentiment.
At Sepang, Mercedes break up methods: Antonelli ran the improve package deal on his W17 whereas Russell retained the earlier specification. In the course of the race, Antonelli completed second to Max Verstappen whereas Russell retired. B
etween the end result and the distinctive traits of Sepang in comparison with the remaining occasions on the calendar, Mercedes couldn’t make any sweeping assumptions concerning the improve’s efficiency. Each drivers subsequently ran the up to date W17 at the USA Grand Prix.
Chatting with media earlier than the Grand Prix in Austin, Wolff admitted, “I feel that this new automotive wants a really totally different setup philosophy than the earlier automotive, and that is what we’re studying in the intervening time.
“Does it have the efficiency that we had been hoping the improve would deliver? I don’t suppose so but, nevertheless it was a step in the correct course, and in Austin, we will see whether or not we will proceed to consolidate that, and whether or not, in impact, it has extra efficiency as a result of it’s essential for the event course for subsequent 12 months.”
Antonelli, after all, received the race, however Russell was mired down on the decrease finish of the highest 10, ending eighth.
George Russell factors to W17 improve for ‘lack of tempo’
If Toto Wolff was ready to challenge an opinion concerning the W17’s upgrades till after the USGP, George Russell believes it’d be secure to name this one a blended bag.
Requested concerning the causes behind his struggles, Russell admitted after the race, “I don’t have the solutions proper now.
“There are indicators that the window could be very small. I hope that’s an evidence for my lack of tempo right this moment. However yeah, I have to hold with my group as a result of it’s yeah, obscure once you’re up to now off.”
Russell was additionally requested to outline what would represent a ‘profitable’ replace. He pointed to the W17 improve in Canada.
“I feel a profitable replace is one thing that we had in Montreal: you place it on a automotive, the motive force says it really works, and you may really feel it instantly,” he mentioned.
“It delivers the place your focus of improvement was, whether or not it’s within the excessive velocity, whether or not it’s within the low velocity.
“This replace didn’t work in the beginning, and like right this moment, we caught to our technique and to our information, and that meant the one-stop is the race-winning technique.
“I feel what we’re doing in the intervening time with the replace is similar. Our information exhibits us the automotive has the downforce. Our information exhibits the place the weaknesses are, however that has additionally been the event course during the last three and a half months.
“So we’re persevering with on that route and making an attempt to undo the issues that don’t work as they need to.”