George Russell has revealed that he personally pushed Mercedes to compare its old and new W17 specifications before the engine failure that compromised his Singapore GP<\/strong>, with the team now deciding to run different aerodynamic packages on its two cars at Marina Bay.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Russell will return to the specification he used to dominate the Azerbaijan GP, while championship leader Kimi Antonelli will continue with the major upgrade introduced at Sepang. Mercedes expected the new package to deliver approximately 0.3s per lap<\/strong>, but its disappointing performance in Malaysia left the team uncertain about the actual improvement.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The decision also coincides with Russell’s power-unit penalty, which will send him to the back of the grid for Sunday’s Grand Prix. However, the Briton explained that the idea of comparing specifications had already been discussed before his retirement in Malaysia.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Russell confirmed that the decision was not simply a reaction to his engine failure, which occurred five laps from the finish while he was running third.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cActually I instigated the conversation prior to the race on Sunday,\u201d Russell said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The Mercedes driver explained that the team had been divided over whether to conduct the experiment, but his unexpected power-unit penalty made the decision considerably easier.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cSo when the failure happened, it was kind of a no-brainer, because we were kind of 50-50 about it pre-race and I was more in favour of doing it.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n Russell also stressed that Mercedes has not established that its latest aerodynamic package is worse. The team’s performance had already varied considerably between circuits before the update was introduced.<\/p>\n\n\n\n At Baku, Russell took pole by approximately eight tenths and won the race, but the same previous specification had been considerably less competitive at Budapest.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The Briton believes Sepang’s characteristics may explain much of Mercedes’ disappointing performance<\/strong>, rather than a fundamental problem with the new components.<\/p>\n\n\n\n While Russell returns to the older package, Antonelli will continue developing the updated W17.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The championship leader believes the new specification offers genuine performance improvements, even though Mercedes struggled to demonstrate them in Malaysia.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cI think there’s an actual improvement. It’s just we didn’t quite see it in Sepang,\u201d Antonelli said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The Italian hopes Singapore will provide a clearer understanding of the package, particularly after the unusual track conditions at Sepang complicated Mercedes’ analysis.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Antonelli also defended the work invested in the upgrade, arguing that abandoning it after one difficult weekend would be premature.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cWe really want to understand this new package and try to extract the maximum out of it because the team has done a tremendous job.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n The decision gives Mercedes a direct comparison between the previous specification and its latest aerodynamic development, with the two drivers using different configurations on the same circuit.<\/p>\n\n\n\n As GRANDE PR\u00caMIO<\/a><\/strong> detailed after Sepang<\/a>, the upgrade included significant changes to the floor, sidepods and rear bodywork, making its performance difficult to isolate from circuit-specific factors.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Russell’s previous specification has already demonstrated its competitiveness.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The Briton dominated qualifying at Baku before converting pole into victory, but Mercedes subsequently struggled at Sepang despite introducing its most substantial aerodynamic package of the final phase of the season.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Russell believes the comparison is particularly valuable because the previous W17 configuration is already well understood by the team<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n He also noted that the engine penalty makes Singapore an appropriate opportunity to gather information, as his prospects of fighting for a podium from the back of the grid are limited.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The decision does not mean Mercedes has abandoned its development programme. Instead, the team will use the two specifications to establish whether the performance differences are caused by the aerodynamic package, circuit characteristics or the interaction between the car and its tyres.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The experiment will take place during one of the most compressed weekends of the season.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Singapore hosts a sprint for the first time in 2026, meaning Mercedes has only one free-practice session on Friday before sprint qualifying<\/strong>. Both cars must therefore provide useful comparative data almost immediately.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The circuit also presents a different technical challenge from Sepang. Marina Bay places greater emphasis on low-speed performance, traction and mechanical grip, potentially helping Mercedes identify whether the upgrade has addressed weaknesses in those areas.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Russell’s grid penalty creates another complication. His engine failure at Sepang exhausted his permitted allocation<\/a>, and the Briton has acknowledged that another power-unit penalty may be necessary before the end of the championship.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Antonelli, meanwhile, arrives in Singapore with 320 points and an 84-point advantage over Russell<\/strong>, placing him in a strong position as the title fight approaches its decisive phase.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The Singapore GP begins with FP1 and sprint qualifying on Friday, October 9<\/a>, followed by Saturday’s sprint and Sunday’s Grand Prix. GRANDE PR\u00caMIO<\/strong> follows all the latest Formula 1<\/a> news throughout the Singapore GP weekend.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Sprint qualifying starts at 20:30 Singapore time on Friday, October 9, equivalent to 13:30 BST in the UK, 08:30 ET in the United States and Canada, and 18:00 IST in India. The session determines the starting grid for Saturday’s sprint.<\/p>\n\n\n\n George Russell topped FP1 with a 1:32.274, driving Mercedes’ older W17 aerodynamic specification. Charles Leclerc finished second, 0.198s behind, followed by Lando Norris in third. Kimi Antonelli was seventh with the upgraded Mercedes, while Gabriel Bortoleto finished 16th.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Mercedes is comparing its previous W17 specification with the aerodynamic upgrade introduced at Sepang. Russell is using the older package, while championship leader Kimi Antonelli retains the new version. Russell led FP1, but differences in tyre compounds and run programmes mean the result alone does not establish which specification is faster.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Russell proposed comparing the previous W17 aerodynamic specification with the latest upgrade. His engine penalty made the expe<\/p>\n\n\n\n The Briton stressed, however, that the older car should not be regarded as a major step backward. It is the same specification Mercedes used in recent races, including Baku, where Russell took pole position by 0s8 and achieved his first Grand Slam, winning the race after leading every lap and setting the fastest lap.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cActually I instigated the conversation prior to the race on Sunday in Sepang,\u201d Russell said. \u201cWhen the failure happened it was kind of a no-brainer. This engine penalty this weekend has given us a good opportunity to roll back, it’s the car that I won in Baku with,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The Briton pointed to the large variations in performance Mercedes had already experienced with the same specification at different circuits, arguing that the team has reason to believe the difficulties in Malaysia were track-specific.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cWhen you look at the pace of Red Bull as well, they clearly overperformed compared to where they’ve been this season,\u201d Russell said. \u201cWhen you look at our pace compared to McLaren and Ferrari, it wasn’t too dissimilar.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n The comparison is particularly valuable because Singapore’s Marina Bay circuit places a much greater emphasis on low-speed performance \u2014 an area where Mercedes struggled in Malaysia. But it also represents a risk.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The sprint weekend leaves the team with very little time to gather data. Singapore will feature only one free practice session before sprint qualifying, increasing the risk of drawing conclusions from an incomplete data set and potentially compromising Mercedes’ development direction for the remaining races.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Sprint qualifying starts at 20:30 Singapore time on Friday, October 9, equivalent to 13:30 BST in the UK, 08:30 ET in the United States and Canada, and 18:00 IST in India. The session determines the starting grid for Saturday’s sprint.<\/p>\n\n\n\n George Russell topped FP1 with a 1:32.274, driving Mercedes’ older W17 aerodynamic specification. Charles Leclerc finished second, 0.198s behind, followed by Lando Norris in third. Kimi Antonelli was seventh with the upgraded Mercedes, while Gabriel Bortoleto finished 16th.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Mercedes is comparing its previous W17 specification with the aerodynamic upgrade introduced at Sepang. Russell is using the older package, while championship leader Kimi Antonelli retains the new version. Russell led FP1, but differences in tyre compounds and run programmes mean the result alone does not establish which specification is faster.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Russell reveals he proposed comparing Mercedes’ old and new W17 packages before his engine failure, with Antonelli retaining the latest upgrade in Singapore<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":17,"featured_media":1020316883,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"42wp_featured_image_caption":"F1 2026, BAHREIN, MAL\u00c1SIA, CLASSIFICA\u00c7\u00c3O, MERCEDES, GEORGE RUSSELL","42wp_featured_image_credits":"Mercedes","42wp_featured_video":"","42wp_featured_image_hidden":false,"42wp_authors_list":[{"id":31,"location":""}],"footnotes":"","42wp_breaking_news":false},"categories":[5],"tags":[],"42wp_author":[31],"class_list":["post-3605","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-f1","42wp_author-bernardo-castro"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/grandepremio.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3605","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/grandepremio.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/grandepremio.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/grandepremio.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/17"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/grandepremio.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=3605"}],"version-history":[{"count":4,"href":"https:\/\/grandepremio.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3605\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":3612,"href":"https:\/\/grandepremio.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3605\/revisions\/3612"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/grandepremio.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/1020316883"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/grandepremio.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=3605"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/grandepremio.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=3605"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/grandepremio.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=3605"},{"taxonomy":"42wp_author","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/grandepremio.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/42wp_author?post=3605"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}Russell says he proposed the comparison before Sepang<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
![\"F1](\"https:\/\/grandepremio.com\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/f1-2026-azerbaijao-corrida-mercedes-george-russell-01-4-1024x576.jpg\")
Antonelli believes Mercedes should not abandon its upgrade<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Russell returns to the car that won in Baku<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Singapore sprint leaves Mercedes little time to compare cars<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
F1 today: FAQ<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
What time is Singapore GP sprint qualifying today?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Who was fastest in Singapore GP FP1?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Why is George Russell using the old Mercedes at the Singapore GP?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Why is George Russell using the old Mercedes car in Singapore?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
![\"F1](\"https:\/\/grandepremio.com\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/f1-2026-bahrein-malasia-corrida-mercedes-george-russell-5-1024x576.png\")
Sprint weekend leaves Mercedes with little time to compare specifications<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n
F1 today: FAQ<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
What time is Singapore GP sprint qualifying today?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Who was fastest in Singapore GP FP1?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Why is George Russell using the old Mercedes at the Singapore GP?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n