Mercedes to run split W17 specifications across both cars at Singapore Grand Prix

A split-specification weekend at Marina Bay

Mercedes will field its two W17s with completely different aerodynamic packages at the Singapore Grand Prix, as Kimi Antonelli retains the update package introduced in Malaysia while team-mate George Russell reverts to the previous version. Formula1.com reports the split gives the team a direct back-to-back comparison across all three days of what is already a demanding Sprint weekend. ¹

The reasoning, according to Formula1.com, is that the results produced by the new updates proved inconclusive in Malaysia. It was far from a disaster there — Antonelli finished second and Russell was on course for the podium before a late retirement — but the feeling within the team was that the parts did not produce the anticipated lap time benefit. ¹

Crash.net likewise reports Mercedes will run a back-to-back test of its old and new aerodynamic packages after what it describes as a confusing picture with the upgraded W17, with team boss Toto Wolff confirming the two specifications will be evaluated across the Singapore weekend. ³

What the Sepang package involved, and why the gains did not show

The package Mercedes introduced in Malaysia comprised revised floor and bodywork, including changes to the floor boards behind the front wheels and a ramped upper sidepod surface, according to F1i. The package delivered more downforce through high-speed corners, but the rough Malaysian surface and extreme temperatures made it difficult to establish how much of the expected gain had translated into real-world performance. ²

Wolff admitted it was "very difficult to understand" the team's underwhelming qualifying performance in Malaysia, telling Crash.net he was surprised the substantial upgrade did not bring the 0.3-second improvement that had been expected. "We have identified several areas we need to investigate further, but F1 doesn't offer simple answers and we need more evidence before drawing firm conclusions," Wolff said, adding that Singapore's very different circuit characteristics would help the team build a clearer picture. ³

The-Race.com adds a sharper version of that assessment, reporting that Wolff reckoned the car had instead dropped its performance by up to half a second, which left the door open for Red Bull's Max Verstappen to take his first pole position and victory of the season. The-Race.com notes Mercedes is due to split the old and new packages across its two cars for the entire weekend. ⁵

Russell's penalty turns a 50-50 call into a 'no-brainer'

Russell floated the idea of using Singapore as a back-to-back test even before the Sepang race, but his retirement guaranteed him a power unit grid penalty for the weekend, making the decision an obvious one, Formula1.com reports. "I instigated the conversation prior to the race on Sunday," Russell told reporters on Singapore's media day. "So 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 to do it, and that was even pre-race. Whereas now it is a total no-brainer." ¹

Wolff confirmed Russell will take an engine penalty and start from the back of the grid, telling Crash.net the Briton will have a new power unit fitted that pushes him past his permitted allocation of four engines for the season. Wolff called it "particularly frustrating given the way he drove last weekend and the result he deserved to be fighting for." ³

Russell will return to the specification with which he won in Baku, and he argued to reporters that the upgrade was not clearly at fault for Malaysia's shortfall. "There's no signs telling us the upgrade was not working, and we know the car we had in Baku was the same car as we had in Budapest and Zandvoort, and in Baku we were on pole by eight-tenths, and in Budapest, we were four-tenths off the pace," he said, pointing to track-to-track fluctuations of plus or minus a second even with a consistent car. "So we're pretty confident it's Malaysia specific." ¹

The penalty applies to Sunday's Grand Prix only, according to Grande Premio, which notes Russell can still compete normally in Saturday's sprint and has warned the Singapore penalty may not be his last of the season, with another power unit change potentially needed before 2026 ends. ⁴

Antonelli commits to the new package — and a new front wing

In addition to the parts seen in Sepang, Antonelli also has a new front wing in Singapore, which Formula1.com describes as in effect completing the update package, though whether that is the key that makes it come alive remains to be seen. "That's the question we will try to answer," Antonelli told Formula1.com. "George is going back on the old package, which we know works really well, especially on these kinds of tracks. On my side, we'll try to find an answer for this package... Of course we'll have the front wing, even though it's just one front wing, but let's see." ¹⁶

Antonelli believes Malaysia distorted the picture, telling Formula1.com that Sepang was "a bit of an outlier because the tarmac was just so rough" — in some corners the team was "missing tarmac" — and that track temperatures had at times exceeded 60 degrees Celsius. He expects cooler temperatures, better tarmac and a low-speed-heavy layout in Singapore to make for a far more representative test of the upgrade. ¹

The Italian told Formula1.com he did not get to decide on the split — "it was mainly the team" — but is comfortable retaining the new parts. "The team has done a tremendous job. They've put in so much work on this new package, and it would be just a shame to write it off so early," he said, adding that he wants to help the team understand and extract the package's potential. ¹

A cleaner experiment, but no confirmed gain

F1i's own analysis is that the split gives Mercedes a notably useful comparison: rather than testing two cars in isolation, the team can put its recent upgrade directly against the specification that delivered Russell pole in Baku, gathering further evidence at little cost to Russell's weekend given his qualifying prospects were already compromised by the grid penalty. ²

Formula1.com is explicit that the split provides a comparison, not evidence of a performance gain, and Wolff's own language to Crash.net — that the team needs more evidence before drawing firm conclusions — reflects that uncertainty. With only a single practice session before sprint qualifying on Friday evening, as The-Race.com notes, the team will have limited running to gather its data. ¹³⁵

Championship context shapes the stakes. Russell's retirement at Sepang leaves him 84 points behind Antonelli with seven scheduled races remaining, Crash.net reports, and while Antonelli told Formula1.com he is focused on unlocking the upgrade rather than the title fight, Grande Premio notes he cannot mathematically secure the 2026 championship in Singapore, with his first opportunity to clinch the title coming at the United States Grand Prix in Austin. ¹³⁴